The Next Captain Commander
by Keymasten
Summary: When the Fourth Hokage called upon the Shinigami, he unknowingly reopened the connection to Soul Society. Decades later, the Shinobi are ready to enter the ranks of the Gotei 13. How will the Shinigami react to the warriors of the Elemental Nations? Could a certain knucklehead be next in line for Yamamoto's chair? AU
1. An Old Soul

**A/N: Thanks for Reading! It's been a long time since the last update because I didn't want to continue writing until I had the next story beat or two planned out. I've finally gotten some ideas and am writing them. In the meantime I've been re-editing the current chapters for content, grammar and sense etc...**

 **IMPORTANT NOTE: I've shifted the setting of the story from post visored exile, to an unnumbered amount of years before** **the exile. Shinji and co are still Captains. This will let me have the Shinobi more fully integrated into Soul Society by the time Ichigo comes knocking.**

 **LESS IMPORTANT NOTE: On the subject of grammar and titles. Zanpaktou will retain a japanese name (google translate is the best I can do folks) and I will occasionally use Japanese suffixes (-san, -sama, -taicho). Proper titles however will be in english (Captain Unohana, Lord Shiba)**

 **/**

The 10th district of the Rukongai was well within the safer and more comfortable areas. Low crime rate, regular Shinigami patrols and an almost non-existent hollow presence. All in all, one of the more ideal places for a soul to live once they've moved on from the mortal plane. Curiously, of the first 50 districts, the 10th was the least populated, this could be attributed to the harsher landscape. The 10th district was filled with dense forests of huge trees and incredible mountain ranges; the flora and fauna were more hostile and dangerous compared to other districts. There were a number of smaller towns and outposts, mainly occupied by hunters, lumberjacks and miners.

One soul, Bokura, was a hunter. He had died 130 years ago and managed to create a nice life for himself, he'd gotten married and even adopted a young son. He knew the forest and mountains like the back of his hand; he was currently tracking a deer herd farther north than normal. His wife had urged him not to go this far, there were rumors that a demon had moved into the shadow of the mountain. People reported hearing strange sounds and feeling an ominous presence while travelling through the area. Bokura was above such superstitions and if there was a hollow presence, the Gotei would have already taken care of it. In fact, he knew the Gotei had sent members to investigate, he had given directions to a pair of them only a few years ago and they came back a week later no worse for wear.

His musing was interrupted by the arrival of the herd. Around ten does and a few bucks had entered the clearing. He drew an arrow and held a breath. At the moment he loosed, the herd snapped to attention and scattered. His arrow sunk into a tree uselessly. He heard a throat being cleared behind him and turned as quick as he could with his hand going to the knife at his waist. His movement was halted when he noticed the two men standing in front of him. He relaxed even further when he noticed the Shinigami robes and swords at their sides.

Bokura bowed his head in greetings, "Hello Shinigami-sans", trying to hide his annoyance at their sudden appearance.

The shorter one, a man looking like he was in his 50's with a short goatee and stepped forward.

"Please excuse us, we did not mean to intrude on your hunt. We were traveling through the area and hoped you could direct us somewhere? We would be willing to compensate you for your aid."

As he spoke he reached into his robe and withdrew a pouch, visibly filled with money. The shinigami tossed it to Bokura, who took a moment to weigh it in his hand before tucking it into his pack.

"Very well, where are you looking to go?"

The other Shinigami stepped forward. He seemed younger but not by much; he had slicked back, traditionally styled hair with hints of grey in the black. Over his uniform he wore a blue overcoat.

"We understand there is an area where the other souls avoid, closer to the mountains?"

Bokura nodded, "Yes the superstition, they say while in the shadow of the cliffs, you can feel the eyes of the demons upon your back. Bah! Nonsense. Follow me, there is an older path that leads right to it."

As he went to retrieve his arrow, he found himself curious. If it wasn't demons or hollows out there, then what was it?

They rose with dawn the next morning and traveled until the evening. They made light conversation. He learnt from Sarutobi that he was the 4th seat of the First division, while the man with the overcoat was actually the 3rd seat as well as the headmaster of the Shinigami academy. This only confused him more and eventually as they stopped for the second night he felt the need to ask.

As Bokura passed out small dishes of meat and oats he sat down himself.

"Sarutobi-san, I have to ask, what would a high ranking soul reaper and an academy instructor want in the shadows of a mountain?"

Sarutobi finished eating and then took out a simple wooden pipe and began smoking.

"Ah, you see Bokura-kun, we aren't searching for 'something' we are searching for 'someone'. Isn't that right shinobi-san?"

Bokura was about to question Sarutobi when he heard the rustling of leaves. He nearly had a heart attack when he turned to the left and saw a figure cloaked in black standing at the edge of their camp. He thought perhaps this was another Shinigami but the stranger bore no sword or shihakuso. Instead, they seemed to be wearing a one piece suit of some black cloth with pouches strapped to his legs, and a hood and scarf covering his face and head. The figure spoke, revealing itself to be a man with a smooth and guarded voice.

"Shinigami-sans, we have already received a delegation from you. Our answer has not changed, we ask that you and your companion return to the Seireitei and respect our wish for isolation."

The so-called shinobi seemed to be waiting for a reply.

"Hmmm, tell me is it so wrong for an old man to want to see his children again?"

The shinobi tensed, obviously unsure of what to make of it.

"Who are you?" was the stranger's reply.

Sarutobi stood up and walked closer to the fire, smiling the whole way, "It's good to see you again, Shino"

The shinobi stayed silent then began to tentatively walk forward until he was staring at Sarutobi from across the open flame. Even his eyes were covered by a strange visor with three red slits.

Then instantly, the man dropped to one knee with his head bowed, "Sandaime-sama"

As Bokura watched the strange scene unfold, he started to think that maybe his wife had been right.

 **/**

Sarutobi waved as the kind hunter Bokura started his trek back home. He was a nice enough fellow and obviously skilled, hopefully his story would help ease the tension and superstition associated with this part of the district.

He and Genshiro Okikiba had been waiting until the current advanced class at the Shingiami academy was done before coming out to district ten. He wanted to make the journey as soon as he found out about the shinobi enclave that had been built but had to restrain himself from investigating until he received approval from the Captain-Commander.

"How much farther Shino-kun?"

They were traveling through the trees towards the mountain.

"Just another hour and we will reach the forward outpost Sandaime-sama"

Shortly after crossing over into soul society, many shinobi learned that chakra no longer worked, they had lost the physical component and were left with only yang chakra or as the Shinigami know it, reiatsu. While it could still be used for internal applications like enhanced speed or healing, jutsus were no longer possible.

Hiruzen contemplated the fate of the shinobi who had started appearing in Soul Society 20 years ago. It seemed that the elemental nations existed in a different realm than the world of the living that most souls came from. As such it had been sealed and the gotei and hollows were unable to access it. When Minato had summoned the Shinigami, he had in fact summoned a representation of their power and by doing so he opened up the path between realms.

Unfortunately, not all souls in the Elemental Nations could be konso'd. It seems that because of the realm's disconnect from the soul society, nature itself had created a force, "The Shinigami" that took any souls that did not possess a certain amount of reaitsu at their time of death and instantly returned them to the cycle of reincarnation. At the same time, if a soul would normally sent to Hell after passing on, it would instead be sent back into reincarnation; unless their soul was tainted of course, Orochimaru and Madara would not be seeing Soul Society and Hiruzen was grateful everyday for that fact.

A soft growl triggered Hiruzen's reflexes and without skipping a beat, he turned his next sprint into a leap. He smoothly sailed over the outstretched claws of the wild cat that had attacked from the underbrush. The creature skidded across the forest floor but quickly turned on the spot to make another leap. The cat's quick reactions were still too slow. Before it could tense its leg muscles its throat had been slit. Quietly, it fell to the dirt. The group running through the forest continued on without interruption.

For a soul born in the Elemental Nations, to become a plus you had to have chakra of at least Chunin or above. When he first arrived, he discovered that the Shinigami had only started to konso shinobi regularly five or so years before his death. A consequence of having to go through Central 46 for permission and official acceptance of the newly dubbed "Elemental Realm" into the Gotei 13's protection. It was decided that the 10th Division, under the command of Captain Isshin Shiba, would be responsible for patrols and monitoring.

Upon Sarutobi's awakening in District 20 of Rukongai, he decided to seek out other shinobi. Once he understood just how immense Soul Society was he became disheartened, choosing to open a tobacco shop instead. It was a calm and relaxing time, except when he was quickly reminded that he was only old in mind and appearance. His body felt spry and strong with none of the wear and tear it displayed while still alive.

To be honest, while he was comfortable spending his days drinking teas and smoking, he soon became bored and began training in the evening. Stretching long gone muscles with the aid of reiatsu instead of chakra, making the workouts more taxing and resistant. As a result Hiruzen estimated that he was in better shape than in his prime.

What convinced him to finally end his "vacation" was when he inexplicably found himself not in his tobacco shop but in the living world. Inhabiting his old body and fighting a war against Uchiha Madara. It awoke his long dormant battle fever and had his cold blood pumping. While he had cultivated a personality and aura of a kindly grandfather, for more than half of his life Sarutobi had been an active war time jonin. To survive that kind of life and come out sane and in control of his faculties meant he in some way enjoyed the battle and killing. By acknowledging that part of himself he gained mastery over his own mind.

Once he returned to the Soul Society, the memories of his time among the living became cloudy; he could clearly remember the conflict and seeing some familiar faces but there hadn't been much time for talk during the war. Hiruzen decided to close his shop and enter the Shinigami academy fate, it seemed, agreed with him. Barely a week after he had decided to enroll, two seated officers from the 1st division appeared and told him the Gotei 13 had questions for him. He accompanied them without complaint, curious as to how they got his name.

When he arrived in the Sereiti he was understandably impressed by the scale of the place; he was decidedly less impressed when he was shown to a secluded barracks under guard inside the First Division headquarters. There he found a dozens of other former shinobi. He recognized a few leaf shinobi and had a number of happy reunions. Most surprising of which was his son Asuma.

 **/**

 _FLASHBACK_

 _Hiruzen had just finished shaking hands with Hayate, free of his illness, when he heard a cough from behind him. He turned with a kind smile on his face. The smile froze when he laid eyes upon the same ebony hair that grew from his head and eyes that matched his late wife's. Tears welled on the edges of his vision. He took a step forward, but stopped abruptly. Asuma, looked at him for a few seconds before stepping forward himself and slowly embracing the man who birthed him._

" _Hey Old Monkey, it's good to see you… I missed you… dad"_

" _Suma-kun…" Hiruzen pulled back slightly,"You were so young." Hiruzen couldn't help but lament._

" _I saved my students," Asuma's cool composure cracked as he started blinking away tears. "but I didn't make it."_

" _Then you died well my son, have no regrets"_

" _You don't underst-", Asuma's breath hitched. Hiruzen frowned, "Kurenai was pregnant. I left her alone, I'll never see my child take their first steps. I failed them before I even met them." Asuma had bowed his head, trying to hide his tears._

 _His son's arms were shaking. Hiruzen recalled the last time they were in this position. It was after Biwako's death. Asuma had returned from his duties as one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja and sat before her grave crying silently. Hiruzen had stood nearby, unsure how to act, he and Asuma had long since tried and failed to reconcile. In his grief, he foolishly chose to leave Asuma to his pain. Not this time_

 _Hiruzen embraced his son and led him to a secluded corner with a couch. Sitting him down, he put Asuma's head into his shoulder and began humming a tune Biwako had used to serenade their sons to sleep. At that moment, they were not shinobi, nor Hokage and Jonin. They were finally once again, father and son._

 _FLASHBACK END_

 **/**

"We have arrived Sandaime", Shino's monotone voice broke through Saurtobi's thoughts.

He noticed they had made significant distance; judging from the sun, it was mid-day. They had stopped in a small section of forest close to the nearest mountain. He watched as Shino approached a tree and began knocking on it. He smirked at the familiar konoha outpost procedure. Of course the code had changed since his death but the outline was the same.

Sarutobi waited and heard the return knock. A group of three, dressed identically to Shino, appeared around them high in the trees. A man, women and the last one seemed shorter than his allies.

"Kodo, report!"

He recognized the voice before turning around and seeing the distinct purple hair.

"My, my, Yuugao-chan, you don't recognize this old man?"

He saw her eyes widen and the snap of a branch there were three people across from him. Yuugao seemed unable to break eye contact with him.

"Sandaime? Is it really you?"

"Yes it is Yuugao, I'm glad to see you." Hiruzen gave her a kind smile.

She returned his smile, even behind her scarf he could see much joy she felt and it warmed his heart.

"So have I Sandaime-sama, so have I."

Hiruzen turned to the other two, "Tenzo? Is that really you? My how you've grown!"

The once closed off child now turned man simply responded with a carefree chuckle, "Thank you Sandaime-sama, by the way I go by Yamato now."

"Good to know," turning to the smallest member of the squad he asked, "and who is this youngster?"

The figure shifted uneasily under the retired Hokage's gaze, "I-I'm U-mino Harikaze… Sandaime-sama."

Now that brought Hiruzen up short, "Umino? Are you Iruka-kun's son?"

"Yes sir."

"May I ask who your mother was?"

The child's eyes went wide, "Oh! she was Ayame Ichiraku"

Hiruzen couldn't help but chuckle fondly, "I remember little Ayame, she used to serve Naruto and I ramen all the time. May I ask how old you are Harikaze?"

Harikaze seemed confused by the question, "I'm 25 years old."

Hiruzen looked startled at this, "How old were you when you died?", the boy looked no older than 15.

"I was 19"

Hiruzen turned to the headmaster, "Why does he look so young?"

"It is not uncommon for some souls to regress in age after death," Genshiro had been observing the interactions with a curious and critical eye. "Usually that is accompanied by memory loss though. So I'm unsure of the cause in this case."

"Oh well, a mystery for another day."

"Sandaime?"

"Yes Yuugao?"

"We really do need to know why you're here."

Hiruzen took a moment to collect himself, "Yes of course. In short, I and Okikiba-san are here to negotiate with the Shinobi Enclave."

"You understand we already gave them an answer?"

"I do, but I would like to meet your leaders personally and hear them out. The Captain Commander will trust me if I return and advise him to desist from further talks."

The scouts shared a glance with each other. Finally Yamato and Shino gave a nod. Yugao turned back to her old leader. "Very well, we will take you farther than the last group of Shinigami who came to visit us. It would be an honor to host the Sandaime Hokage, but your companion must agree to be blindfolded and deafened for the duration of our trip"

Hiriuzen turned towards Okikiba with an unsure furrow of his brows. It was returned with a calm nod.

"Lead on"

 **/**

Hiruzen felt the enclave before he saw it. The amount of spiritual energy emanating from the seemingly flat mountain face was extremely subtle. Had he not been searching for some sign of life than he most likely would have missed it. They crossed over a certain threshold and a large part of the slopped cliff face simply faded away, revealing a large wall with a solid stone gate; he couldn't help but be impressed.

"My, my Yugao, you've been busy"

"Yes Sandaime, it is truly amazing what happens when you mix the best and brightest from every village. It offers a glimpse into what the Elemental Nations may now look like."

As the group stopped at the massive gates, Yugao, Yamato, Shino and Harikaze all approached a small slate on the bottom right hand of the rock face. Yuugao and Shino put their mouths almost to the stone and whispered something and then tapped on the slate in a quick pattern. As they backed away, a small door receded from the wall to their far left. It seemed the gates were a distraction.

Okikiba was blindfolded and deafened with pieces of wax before they had reached the decoy gate. Once they had entered the wall, it led to a long narrow corridor. After walking and making a handful of confusing and twisting turns before entering an antechamber. There, they restored his senses.

"Please follow me Sandaime-sama, the council will be gathering in a few hours to hear your petition. In the meantime an escort will be assigned to guide and watch you for the rest of your stay. I apologize Sandaime-sama but it's protocol."

Hiruzen waved off her apology with a gentle smile.

As Hiruzen stood on the balcony of his room he couldn't help but gaze longingly the enclave before him. It was nostalgic to see the architecture of his home. The enclave was situated in a valley hidden by the mountains, it was filled with building made in many different styles all built with cement and dark wood. From his hotel room he could see the main administrative and government seat, "The Kage Tower".

A three story building with a rounded dome roof bearing the marks of all the major and minor ninja villages. Surrounding it was a sprawling open air market. It was mid-afternoon and there was quite a crowd mingling and haggling. He noticed that there was a sense of peace in the air. Laughs were heard and smiles seen. He heard a knock on his door, opening it to find a familiar face staring back at him.

"Kakashi-kun!", Hiruzen immediately stepped forward and pulled the silver haired man into a hug. Said man was almost too shocked to respond, eventually smirking and returning the hug.

"It's good to see you Sandaime-sama. We've missed you."

"Hehe, let me have a look at you Kakashi."

Looking his former ANBU captain up and down he noticed the man was older, probably closer to his 40's, wearing the same face mask but lacking any forehead protector and surprisingly no sharingan.

"Sandaime-"

"Please Kakashi, call me Hiruzen."

"Of course Hiruzen, would you and your companion like to have some tea with me before the meeting?"

"I would love to, but Okikiba is currently finishing up some paperwork needed for the meeting."

They exited the hotel and began walking towards the market, he noticed many people on either sides of them were stopping and bowing. They arrived at a small tea house named "Fire Snake Tea". It was a quaint little place, with well-maintained tea sets and soothing music being played by a group in the corner.

A waitress he didn't recognize walked up to them and bowed, "Welcome back Hokage-sama, your usual seat?"

Hiruzen was about to respond out of habit when he saw the waitress was in fact asking **Kakashi** instead of him. At Kakashi's nod they were lead to the second floor and a table by the window with the leaf insignia delicately inlaid into the table. As they sat, Hiruzen simply crossed his arms and stared at his friend.

His great-grand student began chuckling and scratching his ear, obviously somewhat embarrassed. "Maaa, did I forget to mention I was the Rokudaime Hokage?"

Chuckling fondly, Hiruzen responded proudly, "You did indeed. I'm proud of you Kakashi… wait, if you were Rokudaime then who was Nanadaime?"

"Naruto of course"

Hiruzen was shocked silent, but his schock quickly gave way for a wide smile. If some tears formed at the corners of his eyes, it wasn't Kakashi's place to mention them.

They drank tea, keeping the conversation light. Kakashi informed Hiruzen of the many events that had befallen the Leaf between his death and Kakashi's. Most frequently though, he spoke of Uzumaki Naruto. Now Hiruzen couldn't stop the tears falling from his eyes as he heard about Naruto taking up the position of Seventh Hokage, marrying Hinata, having children and eventually helping to create the United Shinobi Council. An organization that helped strengthen ties and keep the peace between ninja while presenting a united front against the Daimyo's and Yakuza. A situation he would have to ask for context on later.

"I knew he would be great. The Will of Fire burned brightest in him."

"Very true. Well, it's time we made our way to the meeting."

After rejoining Okikiba, the two were treated to a tour of the Kage Tower, a well built and organized office structure dedicated to managing the enclave. Hiruzen was still being kept in the dark about how the enclave sustained itself. It was obviously no easy task to keep an isolated community of hundreds of people sheltered, fed and employed. The tour ended in front of a sturdy oaken door bearing a single engraved Kanji.

"Shinobi?", Hiruzen asked.

Kakashi nodded , "It symbolizes the separation of all other ties and allegiances, when in this room we are dedicated to the people collectively known as 'shinobi'. It was a powerful symbol during the fourth great war. The meeting should be commencing soon, I have to go in for the beginning but when you hear the bell walk straight through and you'll have your say. It was wonderful to see you again Hiruzen."

With a quick but deep bow, Kakashi entered the room and shut the door behind him. It only took ten or so minutes before a soft chime sounded above Hiruzen. He promptly opened the door and proceeded forward. The hallway was lined with soft lanterns. And lead into a huge domed antechamber with vaulted ceiling and open windows. Allowing a cool breeze and natural sunlight to fill the chamber.

In the centre of the room was a large "u"-shaped wooden table. Sitting around it were pairs of chairs with some very recognizable faces.

He could see the Raikage Ay, slightly more wrinkled but still a giant of a man. Onoki the fence sitter, looking better than Hiruzen had ever seen him and finally his own student, Tsunade, retaining her ageless beauty.

Judging from how Kakashi and Tsunade were seated together, then he could only assume the unfamiliar faces were other kage's successors. In retrospect, he should have expected there to be younger faces. Onoki and himself aside, most Kage either retired or died by the time they reached their 50's.

A redhead that reminded him of the Suna Jinhcuriki spoke first. "Let it be recorded, the shinobi council welcomed Shinigami officers Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Sandaime Hokage and Genshirō Okikiba regarding the Shinobi Council's decision to decline forming ties with the Gotei 13. The floor is yours."

Hiruzen and Genshiro exchanged looks. Genshiro's slight nod gave Hiruzen the signal, "As you are no doubt aware, other than myself and my son; there are no shinobi in the ranks of the Gotei 13. I am the 4th seat of the 1st division. A position of authority and responsibility. I will not mince words. The Captain Commander has ordered me to negotiate the integration of any willing shinobi into the Gotei 13"

The man next to Ay, presumably the Godaime Raikage, responded lazily, "I thought we made it pretty clear that as long as Central 46 required all Shinobi to reveal their personal or clan secrets and renounce loyalty to the Shinobi Council; no ninja, whether they originally be from stone, cloud, sand, leaf, mist or any village would become Shinigami. Their response was a passive aggressive message dismissing us. What changed their minds?"

Genshiro took the silence following the statement as his cue, "Through hard negotiations and appeals made by Sarutobi-san and myself. The conditions have been modified. We're here to present a new offer and a demonstration."

Tsunade sat forward, interest obviously peaked.

He continued, "All shinobi would be welcome to join the Shinigami academy like other applicants. No clan secrets or so called "Bloodlines" would need to be shared. As an added benefit, any shinobi clan that has three generations serve as Shinigami for a total of 300 years would be eligible for minor noble status recognized by Central 46."

The council listened attentively. Hiruzen continued from Genshiro's explanation, "This would give your Shinobi the option to join the Gotei 13. I personally find it very rewarding and a nice change of pace. I still see combat but instead of against fellow ninja, I now fight to protect the souls of the living. It is rewarding and an eye opening experience to see what the Shinigami are capable of, to see what we are now capable of. We may have lost our chakra but we have gained something more. Perhaps a demonstration is in order?"

It was Onoki who asked that they be allowed to bring in their respective advisers to watch. Among the advisers for Konoha were the two Naras, Shikaku and Shikamaru. Now both roughly the same age, it was the scars on Shikaku's face that set the two apart. Yet their minds were clearly as sharp as ever.

The space around Hiruzen was cleared of furniture. His katana was brought from the secure lock up it was taken to after his arrival. He graciously accepted it and presented it so the council could see it in better detail. It was a normal length katana in a dark brown sheath. The handle was wrapped in white and red silk, on the pommel was the Sarutobi clan symbol, the guard was a silver circle. Hiruzen went through a brief explanation on the nature of the zanpaktou and how important it was.

"Do not think of it as just a weapon. It is as much a part of you as your chakra nature. Something unique and personalized. A power, a being, born from your own soul. I will now demonstrate the first release, Shikai."

Hiruzen widened his stance and bent forward his sword was held behind his back horizontally.

 **"Awaken from your grave, Furui Bushi (Old Warrior)"**

There was a pulse of reiatsu and Hiruzen's katana lengthened and turned black, finally rounding around and turning into a bo staff identical to his once loyal summon, Enma's adamantine staff form.

"In this form I'm stronger, faster and have access to more reiatsu as well as the special ability of my Shikai. I would ask that you keep my abilities a secret between us. Details of a Shinigami's releases are considered private. My zanpakuto's ability is to divide into a number of other staffs which I can use to from shields and cages"

Thrusting his staff forward, his staff cap expanded and a pattern of bo staff's interlocked with each other created a large square, roughly the size of a man, inbetween Hiruzen and the council. With a quick motion the pattern was absorbed back into the main staff.

"You said this was the first release? There are more?" Unsurprisingly it was Shikamaru who asked the question.

"Correct, to be eligible for a seated officer position you must at least achieve Shikai. The final release is Bankai, the ultimate merging of you and your zanpakuto. It takes many years to achieve and then master your Bankai. To even be eligible to for a captainship in the Gotei 13 one must have their Bankai release."

"Have you achieved your final release Sandaime?"

"I achieved bankai only 2 years ago after a decade of intense study. I still have not mastered it, if you have a way to dampen the spiritual pressure that leaves this room I will demonstrate"

The Kages exchanged glances and all nodded. One of the Mizukage's assistants left the room briefly and Hiruzen could feel security seals activate around the chamber.

Slowly, Hiruzen found his centre using deep meditative breaths. Taking his bo staff and bringing it to his front vertically. He slammed it into the ground with an echoing thump while shouting, **"Awaken from your grave, dust off your arms, and rule the battlefield once more, Kako Idaina Bushi! (Great Warrior from Ages Past)"**

A bright white energy erupted from his staff engulfing his entire form, flowing past him like a flaring wind. Then as if cut off from its source, the wind vanished. Tsunade could not help but gasp. The rest were dumb struck, there before them stood not Hiruzen Sarutobi, the old grandfather, but the man who was known as The Shinobi No Kami; a war veteran, a warrior god. His power could now be felt like a physical force. It filled the room and made any non-kage shake and some even collapsed to their knees.

Onoki judged him as equivalent of one maybe two Kages. Ever since coming to Soul Society it was difficult to actually measure an individual's strength. Reiatsu and chakra were fundamentally different. An impressive feat and the Old Monkey wasn't even one of those legendary Captains. The Shinobi Council had been formed because of the Kage's individual experience and knowledge, not necessarily their strength. Once their introspection was done they turned their attention to Hiruzen's changed appearance.

Standing straight with his back squared, gone were the black and white robes instead he was clad in a black bodysuit. He had no footwear, but his feet had changed into hands. Wearing dark red greaves that led up to a bright gold over coat covered with an intricately decorated breastplate and scale skirt. His arms had wrist guards and pauldrons of the same make. His face had changed as well, his grey hair had gone youthful black and grown down his neck to frame his face. Hiruzen's brow had thickened and nose widened. They could see some sharpened teeth when exhaled a deep breath. The last change was his staff. No longer simple black with gold caps; it was bronze with intricate patterns and kanji seemingly embossed into the surface.

"So Shinobi Council, what say you?", not even his voice was left untouched; there was a thrum of power that echoed underneath his question."

Kakashi gave the final word, "We will deliberate and give your our answer tomorrow."

 **/**

"Very well, we've all agreed that the best course of action is to send a small delegation of specialists to become shinigami. They will learn as much as they can, gauge their strengths, and then report back on the merits or detriments of our merge." Chojuro finished summarizing their morning meeting. They had only taken a short break to sleep and recuperate before returning to the discussion. "Please present your candidates."

Ay and Darui both stood and passed out a thin white folder around to the other Kage and the full shinobi advisory council.

"We recommend Saito Omoi, one of our foremost kenjutsu masters, to study their styles and training regimes. Presumably the Shinigami are all taught the same style. Omoi will be able to determine if this style has any real value or if it can be better adapted for shinobi. As well as Ce, a top sensor. He can help gauge the average power levels and growth rate of Shinigami. "

Omoi, by the time of his death at 46, was the foremost kenjutsu master in Kumo. He was Darui's right hand man, the teacher of several very successful apprentices, and was responsible for no less than three completely unique kenjutsu styles. Known commonly as The Three Thunder Styles: The Boom Style, which uses explosive techniques, The Crash Style, utilizing lightning style attacks, and finally the Silent Style which incorporates the Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Ce continued to serve Kumo and was eventually killed in battle with missing-nin's from Kusa during an ambush. His legacy lived on through the personalized training regime he designed for sensors to perfect their art.

"All in favor?"

All hands rose. An assistant stamped a mission assignment paper.

Gaara and his successor, Kankuro's daughter Hoseki, both stood with their brown folder. "We recommend Nara Shikamaru, one of our top strategist and analysts. His focus would be the non-combat information. How do the Shinigami think? what is their history? how does their society work? He will profile the Shinigami as a whole to aid us in any future negotiations or decisions."

Shikamaru died as a famous strategist and Shogi player and Naruto's chief adviser. Of course, being Shikamaru, his proudest accomplishment was not his long and proud career as a Konoha Shinobi. It was his various published books; _Cloud Watching Made Simple, The Shogi Guide_ and of course a poetry book titled, _Life is Troublesome._

Tsunade and Kakashi went next, "We nominate Uchiha Sakura, her extensive medical knowledge would make her perfect to learn the ins and outs of their healing arts. We also nominate Rock Lee to observe their taijutsu knowledge."

Sakura, after retiring from active duty to raise her children, continued working at the Konoha Hospital and was eventually regarded as matching her teacher Tsunade. Her research on the nature of Bloodlines and Jinchuuriki was some of the most revolutionary medical texts to ever be published.

Rock Lee despite his disability eventually worked his way into the annals of history as "The Iron Fist". His training evolved the Goken style taught by Maito Guy into the unique form called Tetsuken, a style based on opening and manipulating the tenketsu of his body to harden his muscles to resemble iron; it was in fact comparable to opening mini versions of the eight gates. In fact many considered his "disability" as a bloodline of the Lee Clan. His son Metal having inherited it to a lesser degree.

The Kage's of Mist slid their folder forward, "Our nominee is Saskue Uchiha. An assassination and stealth specialist. He would be able to accurately assess and deconstruct the Seireiti's defenses and capabilities"

Sasuke passed away killing an insane seal master from the cult of Jashin, he left behind two daughters and two grandchildren. His mission since finding the afterlife has been protecting the shinobi alliance and spending time with his wife. Sasuke was renowned for being a master of the five elements on par with the late Sandaime Hokage.

Finally Kurotsochi stood while her grandfather sat, "We would like to nominate one man whose sole goal would be to rise through the ranks and eventually become a captain, thereby giving us support in the highest echelon of the Gotei 13."

The other kage nodded along.

"We nominate Uzumaki Naruto"

The announcement was met with silence, until Kakashi spoke up. "You are aware that Naruto hasn't died yet correct? We don't know when he'll cross over either. Would it not be prudent to select someone who could enter the academy as soon as possible?"

It was Darui who responded, "I think it would be a good idea. If Naruto found the Gotei 13 worth being a part of it would ease a lot of tension."

"Are you suggesting we postpone our entry into the Gotei until Uzumaki-san had crossed over and been informed?"

"Yes, in fact we should make it a condition of our acceptance that the Shinigami watch Naruto and have him immediately found and brought to us after his passing"

"Very well, all agreed?"

The argument closed and they gave the order for Sarutobi to be brought back before them.


	2. Waking Up Dead

Captain Commander Yammamoto awoke from his sleep slightly earlier than normal that morning. He had taken his regular tea in his office and finished off his paperwork faster than what would normally be expected. For most this wouldn't mean anything but not to Lieutenant Sasakibe. Serving as his captin's second for over two hundred years gave him an insight into the mind of the elderly leader. It was quite obvious to him that the Captain Commander was excited and a bit apprehensive.

As they were preparing for the Captain's meeting he suddenly understood why the Commander was anxious. Today was Sarutobi-san's return and would be the report on the renegotiations between the Gotei and the Shinobi Alliance. Sasakibe had to admit he was impressed with Sarutobi's abilities. A decade more experience and he would surely make Lieutenant and his power levels were close to captain strength. If the other shinobi were anything like him even if they were weaker, they would make an excellent addition to the Gotei 13. An influx of battle hardened veterans could be nothing but helpful.

Yet he couldn't help be wary. He remembered the reports from years ago and learning that there were shinobi who could forcefully pull souls back into the world of the living. In reaction the Central 46 demanded that all dead shinobi be taken into custody and their techniques and secrets be cataloged in case any of them manifest while in Soul Society. This caused an outrage among said shinigami and after heated arguments with Central 46, the Captain Commander was able to negotiate for the Shinobi's freedom. Almost all of them left except, as far as he knew, Sarutobi and his son, Sarutobi Asuma the 9th seat of the 3rd division. As far as they knew the Shinobi had scattered across the Seireitei, until the next wave of shinobi died during and after the fourth great shinobi war. These shinobi and those that followed apparently had been part of a Shinobi Alliance. They pushed for the Alliance to continue on even in the afterlife and spent many years gathering and reconnecting the scattered ninja. Finally they had managed to establish a hidden enclave somewhere in the Rukongai, this only made Central 46 more nervous. That was what prompted the renegotiations with the Shinobi Alliance.

Sasakibe was awakened from his thoughts by the arrival of the other captains. The meeting room was soon filled with the 12 other leaders of the Gotei 13. Once everyone had settled, the Captain Commander smashed his cane onto the ground.

"Bring in Sarutobi-san"

The nearest servant quickly exited the room and returned with Sarutobi. Kneeling before the captains, Sarutobi awaited his commander's questions.

"Well Sarutobi-san, was your mission a success."

"Hai Sou-Taicho, I made contact with the enclave and met with the Shinobi Council."

"What was their response?"

"They were agreeable, but decided to first send a small number of trusted shinobi through the academy first."

"Excellent, when will they be starting?"

Sarutobi hesitated "Their last condition for the agreement is that the first group of students must include Uzumaki Naruto".

Captain Kuchiki Ginrei, leader of the 6th Division, narrowed his eyes. "And what is so special about this Uzumaki character?"

The captain's were surprised when Sarutobi actually glared at the captain. "Uzumaki Naruto was one of my successors as the Nanadaime Hokage, he was also elected as the first Gokage, the first head of the Shinobi Alliance. Essentially he was the equivalent of the Sou-Taicho."

This statement was met by silence from the captains.

"Can this man be trusted?"

Sarutobi simply chuckled.

"Please Sou-Taicho, he used to call me jiji when he was boy. I knew him very well and he has surpassed all my expectations. He would be a great addition to the Gotei. I am unsure of where or what he is doing now but I would recommend a 24/7 watch to ensure his passing is as quick as possible."

The captains immediately started conversations with each other. All expressing different opinions on the conditions and the shinobi in general. Once again the Captain Commander restored order.

"We will take your suggestion under consideration. You have done well Sarutobi-san, you are dismissed"

With a deep bow, Sarutobi left the room.

"Any questions?"

Shihoin Yoruichi, Captain of the 2nd division and head of the special forces had a look of curiosity, "Yes Sou-Taicho, I was wondering how much intel has been gathered by the 10th division on the capabilities of these shinobi in combat. I understand they exhibit strange powers in the form of their own version of Kido and Bakudo but what else are they good at?"

The entire group turned towards the broad black haired man with a "10" emblazoned on his back. "From what we've been able to observe, all shinobi are trained in the basics of Hakuda, lesser forms of Hoho and of course their own version of Kido known as 'Jutsu'. Typically training begins at 8 or 9 and they graduate the academy at 12 or 13." Captain Shiba Isshin answered.

"So young" Captain Unohana Retsu of the 4th division, softly remarked.

"Our best estimates would put their experienced genin on par with new unseated Shinigami, their chunin on par with experienced unseated officers and their jonin as equivalent with our seated officers. With the higher ranked jonin reaching lieutenant strength"

No one missed the manic smile that was growing on Captain Kenpachi Kujano's face as he heard more and more.

It was Captain Hirako Shinji, in charge of the 5th divsion that spoke next, "What about these kage? Their supposed to be the toughest of the bunch right?"

Isshin shot the blonde captain a glance before clearing his throat and continuing. "A Kage is the equivalent of a captain in strength but they can range greatly. There are also a few Kage level ninja who are technically jonin."

If possible the Kenpachi's smile seemed to widen.

"There are a ninja who specialise in a variety of different fields: stealth, assassination, hand to hand combat, long range and wide range jutsu, weapons, illusions, infiltration. Some of them are truly masters of their craft and have spent their entire lives perfecting it. I'm unsure of how they will take being put through the academy. Most shinobi make their first kill by 13 or 14. It will be interesting to see how they interact with their unbloodied classmates."

"Very well,Shiba-taicho, you will assign one seated officer to watch over Uzumaki Naruto and ensure that as quickly as possible he is konso'd and we are notified."

"Hai, Sou-Taicho"

With that Yammamoto stood and exited the room.

As Isshin was walking through his division toward his office, he was contemplating who would be the best choice to guard Uzumaki. As far as he could tell, it was unclear how long the shinobi would live for. There was always the chance he could die in combat so they couldn't leave it to simple patrols. His musings were halted when he heard a snoring coming from his office. Sliding open the door he spotted his lieutenant Matsumoto Rangiku sleeping at her desk with an empty sake bottle by her head.

An evil smirk creeping over his face, he slowly approached the snoozing Shinigami.

"Oh Rangiku… Rangiku!"

"whaaa?"

A groggy Rangiku replied, opening one eye.

"I have a mission for you."

"But I'm sleeping"

"Rangiku, it's an easy assignment"

Leaning back in her chair with a suspicious look.

"What kind of mission?"

Walking over to his cabinet he pulled out a folder and then a smaller picture. Returning to her he passed the small photo.

"There's an important shinobi still living in the Elemental Nations. He must have some clout or something cause the higher ups say he's important for the negotiations with the Shinobi Alliance. All you have to do stick by him and when he finally croaks konso him and let us know." Isshin wandered over to a nearby window looking over the 10th division compound. "This order is coming right from the Sou-taicho, so don't screw up and make me look bad. If you do, I might just have to replace you with Toshiro."

When he didn't hear a response he turned only to find Rangiku nowhere to be found. About to yell he was stopped short by the door opening revealing Rangiku in a bright pink miniskirt with a loose shirt and sunhat complete with a bag of luggage.

"Sorry Captain, I needed to get my stuff together; a hottie like this guy deserves only my best!"

With that she was off. Of course she grabbed several bottles of sake she was apparently hiding in her desk.

 **/**

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year: 1 Day: 1

I entered the Shinobi World with the regularly scheduled patrol and split off from them once they neared Konoha. Quickly familiarizing myself with the local hotspots and liquor stores, I moved on to locating my target. (A straight 10/10 blonde hunk.)

I found he lived, surprisingly, in a rather modest mansion on top of the giant face mountain thing. It was quite a nice place with tons of trees and wildlife around it. Unfortunately when I arrived the mansion was empty. I marked the location on my map and went to make contact with the local outpost to see about acquiring a gigai for my downtime.

Well wouldn't you know it, after arranging things with the outpost I spotted my target walking towards what must have been a training ground. Following slowly I could only make out his back. He was tall and broad both good signs. My only worry was that at the age of 50 he would have let himself go.

Those thoughts were purged from my mind as he took off his coat. I quickly had to stop my drool from pooling at my feet. Are we sure this man is 50 years old?! He looks no older than 30! I wonder if I could spin seducing him as vital to my mission success.

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year: 1 Day: 3

My seduction plans will have to be put on hold. While following Naruto around I discovered that he is not only a married man but also a father!

He has a handsome son named Boruto and a super cute daughter called Himiwarmi. I finally found where his wife was hiding, unfortunately, it was in the hospital. I'm not sure what's wrong with her but it seems to be an injury from a past mission.

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year: 2 Day: 45

Today I went with Naruto to visit Hinata like I usually do on the weekends. She hasn't gotten any better. The doctors say she'll soon lose vision in her right eye as well, but Naruto puts up a strong front.

After passing the Hokage Hat off to his protégé Konohamaru to focus on Hinata and his grandchildren, Naruto has spent most of his time either with his wife, writing or training. I can tell his inability to help her is frustrating him, but the poison she was infected with was the result of an Aburame Kinjutsu that was stolen. Sakura says it's only a matter of time now.

I'm worried; there's his wife's health and the rising tensions with the Daimyo. It's not commonly known but the Daimyo don't like the Shinobi Alliance, it's made a number of things harder for them. Missions involving assassination, trade disruption and infiltration across borders have to pass through the shinobi council and be assessed for their implication and effects. Resulting in a number of them being turned down. Combine that with the lack of proxy war via shinobi conflicts and the Daimyo are getting tired. Already the Alliance has discovered several plots to sow dissent and conflict between the villages. If it doesn't stop soon the villages will have to act.

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year: 3 Day: 230

The Shinobi – Samurai War has reached a standstill, the ninja from the smaller hidden villages hired by the Daimyo have been pushed into what used to be Ame. Casualties have been pretty light all things considering. Hopefully, a peace can be negotiated soon.

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year: 3 Day: 250

I performed a Konso today.

It's not the first Konso I've done. I've taken to spending some time in the hospitals in Konoha, Konsoing the souls of the shinobi there. Giving them comfort, telling them about soul society and the chances that their loved ones are waiting for them.

Unfortunately, Hinata finally passed today. She was surrounded by her entire family and Naruto held her as she closed her eyes for the last time.

I watched as her soul awoke from her body. I calmly greeted her and explained who I was. Surprisingly, she seemed happy, stating that she was looking forward to seeing her father and someone named Neji. Once alone with the body, Naruto let his tears out. It was horrible seeing such a strong man break down. I don't know if involuntarily or not but his form was suddenly bathed in golden fire. His pupils changed, widening like a toads but also splitting like a cats. Hinata also began to softly sob, at the sound Naruto looked up. Eyes widening, he shakily stood and approached his wife.

It seemed in this state of power Naruto was able to see spirits. They embraced and he apologized for not finding a way to heal her. I left and gave them a private moment. When I returned, they seemed to have found some peace. Naruto had relaxed when he found that he could join her and many others after he had passed on.

Not wanting to waste time, I konso'd Hinata and stayed to talk with Naruto. He thanked me and left to grieve.

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year:3 Day:302

I'm currently out on the battlefield. The Daimyo's finally made an offensive move. They sent a mixed force of samurai and shinobi to destroy a number of farm and food producers. The Alliance squads sent in response were ambushed by a large force of some kind of experimental shinobi. They were… horrible, half man-half monsters.

Supposedly the description matches an enemy from the Fourth Shinobi War called the White Zetsu. The possible presence of the White Zetsu caused Naruto to volunteer to lead the counterattack. Upon arriving at the battlefield, Naruto was immediately ambushed by these monstrosities. His team was overwhelmed and forced to retreat.

Naruto has decided to send his team back to the Shinobi Alliance with new orders. He has stated that the white zetsu clones could become a true threat if they, or any other of Kabuto's former experiments have been rediscovered.

He is dedicated to tracking them down. I have no choice but to follow and to be honest I'd do it anyway. If I've learned anything from the last couple of years is that Naruto is truly a one of a kind man. A hero if one has ever existed.

Rangiku's Hunk Protection Diary Year: 4 Day: 123

I helped Naruto pass on today.

I'll admit I teared up.

I think he'd been waiting for an opportunity to pass on every since Hinata died. He just couldn't justify it unless his death would protect his loved ones.

After dealing with the Zetsu clones found in a leftover base, he re-emerged from his hunt to find a large army of foreign samurai and ninja preparing to attack the Shinobi Alliance headquarters. After infiltrating their camp, he discovered that their backers had spent a ridiculous amount of money on buying multiple kinjutsu and summoning contracts from various traitors and missing-nin.

Naruto was confident that the Shinobi Alliance could prevail against them but what forced his hand was the loss of life the victory would cost.

So instead he attacked the camp in a massive one man assault.

I have never seen such destruction or power in one man. The only thing I could compare it to are the stories told about the Sou-Taicho's release.

Finally, after hours of enduring kinjutsu after kinjutsu, and overwhelming numbers, Naruto finally succumbed to his injuries. By that point, a force of Alliance soldiers had arrived. They quickly dispatched the remaining enemies before finding the first Gokage, the legendary Golden Sage, sitting against a tree being comforted by his toad summons and dictating a final letter.

I watched as his son Boruto ran to him and embraced the dying legend. After whispering some words into his heir's ear. Naruto turned to the crowd of ninja. His last speech was something I doubt any of them will forget.

"I look at you now, proud shinobi of the Alliance, comrades and warriors. My generation has ended, with my death I hope to take the cycle of hatred with me. When I see your families in the pure world, I will tell them how proud you have made them. I only ask that you remember us and strive to surpass us."

Sitting before them was a living legend. A man who had left a mark in history so large, that the Fourth Hokage would be made secondary. The lone survivor in a field covered in destruction and bodies. As his famous electric blue eyes faded, they heard his final words.

"Never forget. Those that abandon their mission are trash… but those… who abandon their comrades… are worse… than… trash"

I now return to the Gotei 13. Only a few years older but I feel as if I have seen decades pass.

It'll be good to see Toshiro again. I should really go for a drink with Gin, it's been too long.

/

A bright blinding light filled Naruto's vision. It slowly faded and instead of being on the battlefield he was sitting in a field. He looked around, slowly taking in his surroundings. It was an interesting change. Naruto understood that this was the pure world, the Soul Society that the Rangiku woman had told him about. If what she said was true, Hinata was here. That thought alone made his heart skip a beat. A younger Naruto would have ran off and begun scouring this new land for his wife. Thankfully, he now had something that only old age could have given him. Patience and a touch of laziness. Instead of rushing off in a mad dash. He simply crossed his legs and began meditating. He spent time examining any changes to himself and his environment. The most obvious thing he noticed was that his yang chakra was gone. It wasn't diminished or unbalanced, it was simply gone and there was no negative consequences. As far as he could sense his entire chakra system had been left behind.

A mystery for another day, he thought as he shifted his focus onto his sage mode. As he grew Naruto, like many other ninja, began to specialize. He took up the mantle of his late master Jiraiya's status as Toad Sage. He delved into fuinjutsu like a starving man at a feast. Normally he had a hard time concentrating but the use of shadow clones, combined with the fact that while in sage mode he was calm, at peace and able to absorb information with a clearer head; he eventually became a master of both arts and a terrifying enemy to meet on the battlefield. The combination of his biju cloak and sage mode created his ultimate form that led to his moniker "The Golden Sage". Unlike his master, who specialized in combat sealing, Naruto and his apprentice Inojin, focused on barrier and containment seals. There was a reason that the Shinobi Alliance prisons were rumored to be inescapable.

With a sigh of relief, Naruto was able to sense an all-encompassing energy very similar to natural energy. It seemed though instead of the chakra produced by all living things, it seemed to be the ying chakra that everything emitted. He frowned, it would take some time to acclimate his sage mode but Naruto was confident he could do it.

He opened his eyes and looked to the sky. 'Wow, already past noon, guess I should look for some shelter'

He stood and began stretching out his senses. He didn't have to wait long before five signatures came into his range moving at chunnin and jounin speeds.

The figures broke through the tree line and approached him. He put on his kindest smile, the one that made his grandchildren fess up to their pranks, and waited to be approached.

Their leader a very pretyy young woman with a pair of oval red glasses stepped forward and bowed.

"Uzumaki-san, my name is Yadomaru Lisa, lieutenant of the 8th division. We are here to escort you to the Serieitei."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you Yadomaru-san, I assume you are a comrade of Rangiku?"

A nod was all the response he got. Seeing the tell-tale signs of a stickler for the rules he decided to follow along.

"Very well. Lead on"

As the group turned to leave, the Shinigami at the new front suddenly stopped and drew their swords. Lisa was obviously confused and moved her way to the front.

"Why are we stopping?"

She looked toward the edge of the clearing and slowly drew her blade. Standing in the shadows were three people in strange grey armour with scarves and hoods covering their faces. She pressed on undaunted, "I don't know who you are but you are interfering with the business of the Gotei 13, please leave the area."

The one with a strange half cape, with only one arm visible stepped forward to match her. She also noticed blade sheathed at his side, peaking out from the opposite hip. "I'm afraid we can't do this. Our mission is to escort Uzumaki Naruto back with us. Do not worry, he will make his way to the serieitei in due time."

She stepped forward again signalling her squad to fan out. She spoke without turning around, "Uzumaki-san please do not worry, we shall deliver you safely to the sou-taicho"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. Turning to the grinning face of the… rather handsome she had to admit… blonde man.

"Mamama, Yadomaru-san there's no need for a fight"

"Uzumaki-sama with all due res-"

"Tengu!"

She was startled out of her explanation by the shift in tone. Naruto had stepped past her. Gone was the calm and fatherly demeanor; now there was a strength in his stance and an edge to his voice. Shockingly, all the masked individuals suddenly appeared before their target.

'That wasn't shunpo… but it was so fast! I barely saw them move'

Lisa was again confused when the, in her mind, potential assassins knelt before Uzumaki. She was about to protest and demand an explanation when they resumed speaking.

"Shodaime, the council requests your prescence."

"I'll bet they do. First second I get back and they're already shoving the paperwork at me. All of you stand up. Tengu…"

Tengu stuck out his hand. Naruto simply glanced at it, squinted and then in an instant enveloped the stranger in a massive bear hug. Laughing loudly the entire time. "I missed you, you red eyed bastard!"

The crowd was silent, the Shinigami were out of their depth. First they meet their target and the seated officers were skilled enough to sense the HUGE amounts of sealed reiatsu; then these strange masked warriors appear demanding their compliance. Their target seemed to know them and was able to even give them orders. All in all, Lisa could already feel a headache coming on. She resolved to borrow one of Shunsui's more spicy novels when she got back, that always helped her relax.

"Uzumaki-san, we are under direct orders from the sou-taicho. Your presence is required."

"Hmmmm. Will I be able to leave after meeting your commander?"

"Yes"

Naruto took the time to observe Lisa. It was slightly unnerving, their was a weight to his gaze. Then Naruto gave one solid nod before turning back to Tengu.

"Tengu, you will accompany me to the meeting. The rest of you report back to the council tell them I will make my way to them after meeting with this Sou-Taicho. Tengu will brief me on the current situation. Understood?"

A chorus of "Hai" answered him.

"Tengu show your face."

It seemed that Tengu was going to argue but eventually reached up and removed his coverings, revealing him to be a man in his late 30s.

"Naruto, you're not even dead for a whole day and already your causing me trouble… dobe."

The insult was said with a small smirk which Naruto returned.

"Then let's get going teme!"

/


	3. Making An Entrance

Cups of steaming tea were laid out around the table. The start of term meeting for the staff of Shin'o Academy was almost finished. The headmaster, Genshiro Okikiba, sat at the head filing away the last of the paperwork. "One last notice before we end the meeting. I was informed this morning that the shinobi delegation will be beginning this term. They will arrive to be tested tomorrow."

"I wonder if they'll be anything impressive" The comment came from one of the advanced Kido instructors.

"After my visit with Sarutobi-san he confided in me that most likely they will send experts from different fields. This delegation is being sent to learn as much as they can and report back to their leaders."

"And we're just going to let them essentially spy on us?"

"It's not as if they're simply graduating from the academy and leaving."

Genshiro took a sip of tea, "They will commit to service and undoubtedly will do their best to be able representatives."

"One of the newer instructors seemed unsure, "Should we extend any special treatment, or make allowances for any deficiencies? In the interest of diplomatic ties?"

Genshiro shook his head, "I don't think there will be a need. Once you see them in action, you'll be pleasantly surprised."

/

"Next!" Marking down the lackluster test results, the test examiner for the day pulled out a fresh set of forms. When suddenly his preparations were interrupted by a loud shout.

"YOSH! Examiner-san it is an honour for me to demonstrate my youth to you! I will not disappoint!"

Standing in front of him was a man with possibly the thickest eyebrows he had ever seen. He was dressed in a standard kimono but instead of dull brown, it was a deep green.

"Yes well, thank you for applying Lee-san. You are coming from… I'm sorry could you tell me what district Yamagakure is? I've never heard of it before."

"YOSH! Of course, it is the shinobi enclave in District 10"

The examiner stopped writing, looked up at Lee, coughed and excused himself. Minutes passed by, Lee's bright smiling never wavering. Finally, the door slid open and the examiner re-entered, now accompanied.

"Greetings Lee-san, my name is Kihon, I'm an instructor and will be sitting in on your examination."

"No trouble sensei, just another person to demonstrate the fire of my youth!" The two staff member exchanged wary glances.

"Let us begin Lee-san. Do you know how to channel your reiatsu?"

"Hai, shall I begin?"

"Please do."

Lee then widened his stance and held his hands out palms facing forward, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Slowly the examiners felt his reiatsu begin to release into the room. They were surprised, his power started at a 4th year student, the only problem was that it kept climbing, it eventually settled at a lower ranked seated officer. Needless to say Lee's observers were wide eyed. He quickly bowed, "My apologies sensei, I've always had difficulty outputting my energy, it's a difficulty that has followed me from my time alive."

"Yes, yes, yes. That's- that's fine Lee-san. Let's continue. We'll test your hand to hand skills versus Reo-san here. Please do you best, I will end the spar when I feel I have seen your capabilities"

"May I ask what level of spar we will be having?"

Kihon was confused by his wording, "Please show your full range of skills Lee-san, we need accurate information to properly place you"

She felt a chill crawl down her back at the obvious excitement in Lee's eyes.

/

"Next!"

Kihon, was sorting papers with her new assistant. Reo was going to be taking a trip to the academy medical bay. Just thinking of the, frankly, beating Lee gave to Reo made her wince. The door slid open gently and a man with dark skin, white hair and a sucker between his lips walked in.

"Hey", he threw his hand up while greeting them, far too casually in her opinion.

"Hello Omoi-san, if you're ready, we'll begin"

She was slightly more prepared for Omoi's release, it reached mid-level seated officer, his Hakuda was also very competent.

"Now time for the zanjutsu test"

Omoi looked up at them and pulled the lollipop out his mouth.

"Great! Let's rock!"

Omoi shrugged off the top of his kimono. Revealing a well-muscled upper body with a number of thing long scars wrapping around his sides. He picked up the wooden practice blade and gave it a few test swings before slipping into a series of fast and deadly looking katas.

"I hope these swords are well sanded. What if a splinter gets in my eye? Then I start stumbling and accidentally break your arm, then you get me kicked out of the academy, my boss fires me and I have to live on the streets as a shoe shine."

Kihon wasn't sure how to respond, instead, she simply signaled for them to begin.

/

She was afraid to call for the next applicant. In the last three hours, she had witnessed a student move faster than a lieutenant, a swordsman dance around the examiner like he was facing a child, a man and woman who both could cast the beginner Kido with an amazing amount of control and power, a dark haired applicant who never made a sound other than replying to questions during the entire exam and to top it off that one had the power level of a lieutenant! The most normal shinobi had been a tired looking man who had scored a perfect score on the written portion. She was about done with these strange people. Thankfully there was only one left.

"Next!"

She steeled herself. The door slid open and in a walked a tall blonde man with the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen. He gave a gentle smile and walked forward before bowing his head. "Good afternoon Examiner-san"

Somewhat entranced by his face, she was having a hard time focusing on what he was saying.

"H-hello, Uzumaki-san. Please… please…"

"Channel my reiatsu?"

"Y-es"

Defying her expectations, instead of focusing on his inner energy, he pulled a letter out of his clothes and handed it over. After taking it she saw the mark of the first divison inked onto the back. Stunned, she swiftly opened the letter and was surprised to find an order, signed by the Sou-Taicho himself! It was a short missive, ordering that Uzumaki Naruto be put in all the same classes as his fellow shinobi applicants. 'Did the Sou-Taicho know the shinobi would blow past our expectations?'

"I guess that will be all Uzumaki-san, have a nice day."

"Thank you very much Examiner-san"

/

"Look there they are!"

"I heard the blonde was some kind of warlord when he was alive."

"My friend overheard one of the senseis saying he met with the sou-taicho personally!"

More and more whispers flew throught the halls of the academy following the opening orientation. After being introduced as members of the diplomatic envoy, reactions to the shinobi presence had varied.

"Walking through the halls toward their first classes was a smiling blonde who stood at a towering 6'3'', behind him on either side of his shoulders was a man with black hair and an empty sleeve, his counterpart had his hair pulled back into a pony tail with a goatee. Needless to say reactions had been mixed. Most students in the academy were young, or at least looked young. Most soul reapers didn't truly start "aging" until their second century or so. For many of their peers it was hard to look at them without feeling as though they should treat them as one would an older community member or even a more experienced comrade. For the boys, this translated into curiosity, awe, jealousy and some even contempt; especially among the older students who felt that their appearance didn't change their place on the bottom of the school's picking order.

The girls of the academy had already begun to draw battle lines. They were firmly entrenched into two different camps. One half of the girls, mostly the more advanced students, were smitten by the 'older gentleman'. Who, in their words, 'would know how to treat a real woman'. Needless to say, all five of them quickly gained fans; with Sasuke and Naruto being the main figureheads and Omoi, Shikamaru and Cee fighting for third place. Lee's popularity remained at a minimum until someone saw him doing a warm up in his workout shorts and no shirt one morning and took pictures. The remaining half saw them as 'dads' more than anything, preferring to keep their attention focused on the boys their age.

Sakura on the other hand was swarmed by girls as soon as she entered the female dormitories. Asking questions about the men she accompanied, if she died her hair. It seemed as though she was easily falling into the mother/older sister role she was already familiar with. The only trouble she encountered was when a certain one armed man showed up to check in.

'Knock, knock'

Asuki, a fourth year student specializing in bakudo, paused in her studying and got up from the prefect desk she was at. As she opened the door, her whole world narrowed. Before her with his hair brushing along the side of his face was one of the most handsome and elegant looking men she had ever seen. She simply stared, memorizing every detail she could, this was the famous Uchiha Sasuke, 'The Dark Angel'. Asuki only realized he was speaking when her admiration of his lips was interrupted by their movement.

"I'm sorry could you repeat that?"

The man sighed in resignation "Yes I'm looking for Sakura-san."

"Oh, of course please take a seat I'll go get her"

As she turned to walk down to Sakura's room she noticed most of the other rooms were open with girls peeking out and observing their guest. A few seconds later and Sasuke was already tired of the whispers he could hear throughout the hall. Then his pink haired saviour emerged. He quickly got up and walked toward her. You could almost feel the tension. Sasuke, despite his masterful skills and legendary stealth capabilities was never very good at disguise or impersonation; that was Naruto's field of expertise. Thus in very typical Sasuke awkwardness he decided to make his availability very clear.

"Good afternoon Sakura-hime, my beautiful wife and mother of my children, I missed you. I wanted to know if you'd join me for a walk around the campus?"

"Of course Sasuke-kun, my wonderful husband and father of my daughters. I would love to join you."

With that the two Uchiha walked out, leaving behind a mixture of broken hearts, disbelieving stares and… determined seductress?

/

Classes began with many anxious to see which classes were graced with the delegate's presence. They were seen in the mandatory history course and were noticed to be switching classes, going from one year to the next seemingly changing each week. It was only a month in and they had all moved into the fourth year classes and seemingly settled. Each of the delegates had found strange niches for themselves among the student body.

Omoi could typically be found relaxing in the zanjutsu dojo, typically reserved for the older zanjustsu enthusiasts, he was quickly challenged to prove himself. After beating three senior students with a branch he picked up outside, the zanjutsu lounge became his place to hang out. . Omoi would occasionally give advice out to people having practice duels in exchange for sweets and was quickly given the moniker "Candy-sensei". The sales of lollipops from the local sweet shop skyrocketed.

Ce made a home in the library and Kido practice ranges, reading the many books on technique and history available. The library was suddenly much more popular place for quiet studying, or "Ce-sighting". The Kido experts were enthralled by his deep understanding of energy and incredible precision at casting and detection.

Rock Lee had quickly found a suitable clearing on the academy grounds and procured some stumps. He could be found working out every morning, afternoon and night. He quickly acquired his own disciples, mostly when they noticed how many girls came to watch Lee practice his 'youth'.

Shikamaru very rarely interacted with other students, his perfect tests and essays led to being invited for discussions with the teachers. This transformed into shogi tournaments on the weekends. When asked why he never interacted with the students, the only response was mumbled excuses, "They've got too much energy..." and "My wife would kill me…"

Sasuke was only ever seen in the company of his wife Sakura, in class they would sit together, at lunch they would eat together the couple was dubbed the 'Raven and Flower'. During other times he was a ghost, neither seen nor heard, unless Naruto called for him, then you could see the two eating on a roof somewhere.

Sakura split her time between the library, giving advice to her dorm mates and volunteering in the medical wing. The nurses there were grateful and surprised to learn Sakura was a fully trained doctor who simply needed to readjust to new healing techniques. When Sakura was working, the medical wing was renamed "The Blossom Ward".

/

Finally, Naruto had, seemingly overnight, charmed the entire school. His natural charisma, skill and understanding won him fans among everyone. In class, he would be studious and often asked others for help. During practical classes he was a kind teacher and excellent instructor. The academy staff found him quick witted and sometimes forgot he wasn't a colleague, the other students saw him as the ultimate senpai. Shikamaru hated it, if only because the room he shared with Naruto was never quiet, with people coming and going all day. Naruto was extremely excited, he had a year to spend reuniting with his loving wife Hinata and to see so many of his old friends. When he had arrived back at the 1st division to speak with the Sou-Taicho, he was met with the biggest surprise of all.

FLASHBACK

The large ceremonial doors to the first division opened, Naruto and two first division members escorted him through. He was curious to meet this Captain Commander. The few stories he'd been told when he asked Ise-Fukutaichou painted the picture of a man who was chosen by the Soul King to forge a society out of chaos. The Sou-Taichou had single handedly established rule over soul society and has led the Gotei since its inception. He couldn't help but admire that, being Hokage for 20 years, and Gokage for 10 years after that was enough stress to put him in an early grave.

He rounded a corner and continued to follow his guides, before they reached the end of the hall, he heard a sharp gasp and a strangled voice say "Minato?!"

Turning quickly, Naruto locked eye with a wizened old face, with a grey goatee. His heart skipped a beat, the air seemed to still.

"Jiji?"

/

Smiling softly, Naruto finished preparing for another day. It had been six months since he and his companions had started at the Academy. They had finally settled into the fourth year curriculum, deciding it had enough information on medium skills that it would be the best place to being observing from. Today was especially important, as the fourth year students would be given their Asauchi and attempt to make contact with their zanpaktou. Most students are expected to spend the next two years becoming familiar with their zanpaktou. The goal is to actual speak and see your inner spirit, the prodigious goal is to have achieved Shikai release by graduation; thus automatically gaining the notice of the higher ups.

Naruto walked over to the bunk that sat across from him. "Shika, time to wake up. Class starts in an hour"

The lump of blankets and pillows didn't even budge, Shikamaru didn't even seem to be breathing. Without even a wisp of smoke or the sound of a pop, a shadow clone materialized beside Naruto. It then was enveloped in cloud, the cloud dispersed revealing a middle aged woman with dirty blonde hair done up in four ponytails. The Temari clone was also dressed in a black nightgown.

Giving the clone a thumbs up, Naruto left his room and made his way towards the zangetsu hall. Greeting his friends and associates as he passed them, smiling at the girls and accepting the small gifts of food and compliments gracefully, he finally made it to the classroom. Waiting there near the door, the rest of the nin group were chatting amicably.

"Good Morning! Everyone ready?"

A chorus of responses followed, with Lee stepping forward."Yosh! I cannot wait to be able to bring my zanpaktou back to show Tenten, before I left she begged me to learn everything I could. Wait, where's Shikamaru?"

Just then a groan could be heard, from around the corner came a shambling mass in the vague shape of Shikamaru. His eyes were baggy, his feet dragged and his shoulders were so hunched they covered his ears.

"Shikamaru are you okay?" Sakura seemed concern, not overly, but still somewhat concerned.

Shikamaru turned his head and simply glared through clinched up eyes at Naruto. "Temari will be hearing about this… and so will Hinata"

"With that declaration, he slumped against a wall and began snoring.

Soon they were all seated inside the classroom. All the students were in attendance, no one was going to miss out on this. The usual class layout had the shinobi seated together in a group with their various other friends and acquaintances forming around the circle. The instructor entered, followed by two assistants each carrying a large case. The cases were placed at the head of the class, behind the instructor. After quieting down, the instructor addressed her students.

"As you all are aware, today is a very important day. Today you shall take another step towards becoming a fully-fledged Shinigami."

Excited muttering filled the classroom.

"When I call your name, you shall come up and receive your Asauchi, once everyone has collected theirs, we will begin the first of many jinzo sessions. The goal is for you to reach your inner world by the time you graduate. Do not be discouraged, many soul reapers take years before they even meet their zanpaktou spirit. Do not rush this, let it come naturally"

The lecture completed, the instructor began reading off names. Once the class was once again seated and ready they began the long process of trying to contact their inner spirit.


	4. Shadows and Toads

Clouds.

Shikamaru saw clouds.

A blue sky, a gentle breeze and lots of clouds.

Shikamaru considered the fact that the last thing he remembered was going to bed in his dorm. He looked back to the clouds, and easily ignored that fact and went to sleep.

It was the smoke that woke him, at some point the bright blue sky had turned dark and stars had emerged. He could hear the breathing from beside him and smell the smoke. Lazily, he opened one eye and looked to the left.

Sitting with its back against a tree was a wrinkled old man. He had a thin moustache, deep bags under his eyes and a ring of hair with a bald top. A plumb face with some freckling, and a scar running from the middle of his chin, straight down to his adam's apple. The two made eye contact.

"Could I bother you for a smoke?" Shikamaru asked.

"No bother at all" Was the subdued response.

Shikamaru had turned back towards the sky, and could only hear the rustling of cloth. A hand rolled cigarette was placed in front of his face. He wordlessly sat up and turned, grabbing the smoke and bringing it to his mouth in the process. He noted his companion was in the process of lighting his own cigarette, then gratefully let him light his own. They both exhaled at the same time, letting the smoke float and cloud the night sky.

"I gotta admit, I was kind of worried when I started trying to make it in here."

"Oh. why?"

"I was worried, my zanpaktou was gonna be an annoying busy body. Might yell at me to get off my ass and do something"

"Haha, no, I'm afraid I'm a bit too old to be doing that. I prefer to sit in the shade more than anything"

"I've been told that hearing your name is the hardest part of the whole process, I'm pretty sure I'm the first of my group to get in here. Pretty surprising, never thought of myself as the guru type"

"If I'm being honest, it should be a bit harder. But I just don't have the energy."

"Ya, I can sympathize"

The old man exhaled a smoke ring, then frowned, obviously deep in thought. The moments ticked by, neither seemed upset by this.

"I guess I should ask you at least one question"

"Then ask away"

Suddenly Shikamaru was on a cliff, from the vantage point he finally got a look at his inner world. It wasn't that big, it had a large stream, some dense forest and what looked to be a comfortable cabin set beside it. The perfect place for cloud watching. He was startled by the sound of a cry from behind him, he quickly turned and saw his wife Temari dangling from the edge of the cliff. He moved to grab her but was interrupted by another shout. Naruto, missing his artificial arm was slowly slipping from his grip on the Cliffside. Shikamaru began looking around trying to think of a solution.

"There is no time for strategy. Choose now"

The voice came from the tree further up the cliff, the old man sat there, a smoke bud dangling from his lips.

"I can't choose between the-"

Suddenly they both cried out and Shikamaru acted on instinct for the first time in many years. He lunged for his wife, grabbing her hand just as she lost her hold. His relief was shattered when he heard the sound of Naruto's body hitting the bottom of the cliff. He looked and saw the broken body of his friend, while holding his wife to his chest. He blinked.

Clouds.

Shikamaru saw clouds.

A blue sky, a gentle breeze and lots of clouds.

"What was the point of that?"

"To see if you could do what was best for yourself, to see if that instinct and selfishness hadn't disappeared. I don't want my wielder to go out of his way to make trouble just for the sake of responsibility. I needed to make sure you could still put our family first. You are no longer shinobi, you need to understand that this world is different. You need to think about- "

"The King piece"

The old man chuckled.

"Exactly. I forgot to introduce myself"

The two once again locked eyes.

"I'm _Kumo Tsukuru_ (Cloud Making Warlord), come back for a game of shogi sometime."

/

Sakura opened her eyes; the air tasted of disinfectant, she could smell fresh coffee wafting in through the open door. She was lying in a bed. It was obviously a patient's bed, the linen was older and there was a bedside table with a glass of water. She took a hesitant drink, then examined the room. It was a bland white, the window showed an almost identical view of the outside of the Leaf's General Hospital. She took in the few for a few seconds before noticing a blinking light near her bedside. It was the nurse call button, she hesitated but pushed it anyways. It gave a soft click; otherwise there was no sound. It only took a minute or so before Sakura could hear footsteps coming down the hall.

After having three children, she had a lot of time to reflect on her life while raising them. She had to confront her own childhood to learn what she could expect. That was when she first noticed, her 'inner-self'. Though it had mostly receded as she grew more confident and sure of herself, as soon as the concept of the soul sword was explained in depth to her; she expected it to, obviously, be this inner-self personified. It was that presumption that explained her immense shock when, instead of a pink haired bruiser, a well-dressed teenage boy walked into her room.

"Ummm… Hello?"

The boy, dressed in a standard nurse uniform; a short sleeved top, buttoned across to the shoulder with pants and clean simple shoes, he had green hair and unnaturally pink eyes. Without making a sound, he smiled and nodded. He walked forward and gave her the clipboard attached to the foot of the bed.

"My patient history?"

It was a list of nearly every injury she had ever received. Emotional, physical, spiritual; it was all on there. At the very end of the list was a single note writing in flowing handwriting. 'Prescribed treatment: A fight! Ready?' Sakura was about to ask the young man what that meant, but noticed he had already left.

"Ready?"

"SET, GO!"

The feminine yell only registered to her a second before the wall her bed was resting again was destroyed by monstrous kick. Sakura was already on the opposite wall, poised for a return strike. The debris and dust cleared to reveal, a teenage girl with identical pink hair to Sakura herself.

"Time to see if you still got it now that you're old, HAG!"

Before Sakura could blink, the mini pink monster, who she noticed was dressed in a smaller version of a doctor's uniform, was already in front of her winding up a fist. The windows on every floor of the hospital shattered simultaneously.

Out front, watching all this go by with a stoic face was the nurse. He was sitting on a bench, calmly eating a boxed lunch as screams could be heard echoing from within.

Just as he finished up the last of his lunch, the doors to the hospital were kicked off their hinges, out stumbled two figures coating in dust, blood and… makeup? The nurse shrugged it off and made his way toward the two. As he neared he could finally make out their conversation.

"And then, once you're out of the way, I'm gonna buy one of those maid outfits and when he gets home-"

"You will do no such thing! You're too young to be thinking of stuff like that!"

"Well one of us had to! We're in the afterlife for crying out loud! Let's live a little! I want to see our husband on his hands and knees begging as we slowly-"

Whatever she was about to say was stopped by a fist clocking her in the face, her blushing attacker seemed to have finally had enough. A hand was put in front of her face, turning she noticed the nurse was smiling at her. He bowed before moving to the downed pinkette. He clapped his hands together before putting them on the girl's shoulders. Slowly her wounds started to seal up, the green healing energy circulating across her entire body. Once he was done, he made his way to Sakura and did the same thing.

"Thanks, I have to ask, what was that all about?"

It was her mini-me that answered.

"I needed to fight you for the right to be Sasuke's wife and you've won this match. Be ready though, the rematch will be soon and next time… I SHALL PRE-"

Her declaration was stopped short by a lunchbox being shoved into her face. The food instantly got her attention and she dropped down on the spot and dug in. Another box was handed to Sakura who joined them on the floor.

"So why are there two of you? I thought I was only supposed to have one spirit?"

Mini-her spoke up, with a mouth full of food.

"Its super rare but not unheard of. Basically, we're your two sources of strength! I'm your power and physical strength, the shinobi side! Nurse over here is your intelligence and inner strength, your healer side!"

"Okay, that explains it then… so what are your names?"

The two spirits looked at each other, mini-her nodded once and the nurse turned to face her. He smiled slightly and whispered

" _Hīringu Akuma_ (Healing Demon Mirror)"

/

Lee had been having a wonderful dream. It was his usual favourite, he was on top of the greatest mountain in the world. He had just climbed it with his hands tied behind his back. Waiting at the top had been Gai-Sensei, his son Metal and his granddaughters Gold and Silver. They were about to start a round of sparring when they all disappeared.

Lee looked around the mountain top wondering why he hadn't woken up. Then he heard the gong, it was deep and echoed across the mountain range. The peak Lee was on vibrated, he got down and pressed his ear to the ground. It vibrated again but this time was more distant.

"Whatever it is, it's below me"

He remembered seeing a cave on his way up. He quickly ran down the mountainside. Finding the cave easily he entered. His first obstacle was a solid rock wall. Engrave on it was the word "strength", Lee easily broke through it. Next came a iron wall marked "Resolve". A steel wall marked "Power". Then finally he came to a wooden wall. This one was different, it was far smaller and had a single kanji painted in ink, "Acceptance". He attempted to punch the door. It did nothing, his kicks were ineffective, throwing rocks didn't work.

For what felt like hours, Lee smashed and hit, eventually he was exhausted and bruised. He couldn't understand, his youth had never failed to at least do something. Even against his friend Gaara all those years ago, his kicks cracked the sand armour. He had seen what Gai Sensei accomplished against Madara Uchiha. The power of youth was endless.

Yet that wasn't entirely true. Due to his chakra deficiency he was never able to entirely unlock his chakra. Only by manipulating it inside body had he been able to be an effective fighter. It was a sore spot that he was glad his granddaughters were free of. As he took a moment to catch his breath, he heard a jingle and turned to see a man sitting by the wall. 'When did he arrive?'

"You cannot break the gate with your fist."

The man dressed like the fire temple monks Lee had seen over the years.

"What do you mean? It is just wood. I've broken things like it thousands of times."

The monk hummed quietly.

"I will give you a hint. This wall cannot be broken by any blow, it cannot be splintered or cracked, burnt or cut. It only be opened."

Lee adopted one of the special thinking poses taught by Gai Sensei. He got into a one-armed handstand and furrowed his large brows.

"If it is a door, not a wall..."

He saw the monk give a small nod.

"Then where is the key?"

Another nod.

"Good. I will tell you this, the key can only be found by someone who can project their energy and cover the entire door"

Lee quickly flipped back to his feet and rushed to the door, putting both his hands flat against it.

"Yosh! Here I go! UWAAAAAAAA"

Lee began pushing his energy into the wood. After only a couple seconds he realized the energy only covered a small area near his palms. Lee simply grit his teeth and continued, almost a full hour past. Lee never stopped pumping energy out. Hr tried different methods, patterns- none of it worked. After the second hour, he began to get frustrated, the third hour annoyed and by the end of the fourth hour he was angry. The entire time the monk sat and watched.

'I don't understand, nothing works, I know my inner spirit is inside but I can't reach it. Why?!'

The monk opened his bag and pulled a small tea set out, before long the scent of green tea filled the cavern. The monk poured two cups and looked toward the tired Lee.

"Perhaps, a break is in order. Come, join me for a cup"

Lee nodded, too tired to refuse, and made his way over before plopping himself down in front of the stranger. Gratefully taking the cup, he slowly sipped the tea. It was simple and soothing, just what he needed to counter his tense frame.

"Thank you for the tea."

"Thank you for sharing it with me. You have great passion Lee, great inner strength. Yet, you are hampered by it as much as you are strengthened."

The monk poured another cup, calmly waiting for Lee's response. The bushy browed brawler could only stare at his new friend.

"Not enough? That may be true but I have nothing but my strength. Without it, I cannot fight, cannot protect. Nothing"

The monk smiled sadly at Lee.

"For any jokes that could be made at your expense, sometimes you truly are too rigid."

Setting his tea down, the monk reached forward taking one of Lee's bandaged hands in his own. Carefully looking at the bruises and long healed scars he softly smiled.

"Lee…you must not forget. This is no longer the realm of shinobi. You no longer use chakra. Tell me, if you no longer have chakra, then why do you still have problems moulding your energy?"

Lee set his cup down, and turned toward the door. Lee balled his fists and felt the energy ebb and flow. Except, this time he really examined his energy. Watched, in his mind's eye, how it moved through the tenketsu under his skin. Lee paused, his tenketsu were different. Instead of hundreds of equally sized pressure points, there were thousands of miniscule points and two huge release points in his wrists. What shocked him even more, was that the more he circulates the energy, the easier it became. While he was alive, Lee had to struggle to move his inner power, it was like pushing thick mud with his hands. Now it was sand, blowing around in a storm. Lee simply sat, saying nothing, playing like a child with his new-found ability.

He stood and calmly walked over to the door. Placing one hand on it, he called up the lessons from the Shinigami academy and from Gai-sensei a lifetime ago. He centred himself and then built up the reserves, letting them dam up inside his centre. Then he unleashed the flood out through his wrist. The energy, jumped onto the door, eagerly, completely covering it. Lee had never felt such a rush outside of opening the gates.

The door opened without a sound, just calmly swung open. Behind it, there was no secret dojo. Nothing like what Lee was expecting. It was small rock garden, a simply hut and a small koi pond. The monk walked into the small home and sat on the bench. He smiled once again.

"I'm very happy for you Lee. Welcome to my home. You've learnt the first lesson, now it is time to unlock your full potential, the spiritual energy locked inside you has waited a long time to come out"

The monk motioned to the stool across from him.

"Maito Gai taught you how to use your heart and your fists. Now I will teach you to use your spirit. Sit, it is time for your first lesson. I will be your teacher."

The monk slowly stood and shed his robe. Revealing a scarred and toned body.

"I am _Kizuato Yama_ (The Scarred Mountain)"

With that declaration, the wooden door closed.

/

"Please stop doing that."

The finger that had been poking into his forehead for the past five minutes withdrew. Sasuke took a deep breath and opened one of his eyes, taking in his surroundings in an instant. It was a dark living room, standard mats and paper walls. A moon shone through the window. Chirping crickets could be heard and the occasional cry of a bird.

Squatting above Sasuke was a boy in a black jumpsuit. On the shoulder was the uchiha clan symbol. The figure laughed and then ran out of the room. Sasuke slowly sat up. He was in the old Uchiha compound; it had been demolished during Pein's attack and rather than rebuilding the entire walled off district, Sasuke had instead built a modest mansion and opened the rest of the land to Konoha. He made his way out into the garden. He could hear the quiet giggling of the strange child in the trees on the other side of the rock garden.

"Please come out, I'd like to get this done with quickly"

His request was only met with more giggles. Sasuke let loose a long suffering sigh, he was having flashbacks to his own children. He quickly shunshined into the tree where the voice came from. He turned his bored gaze to where the child was hiding only to find a - crow? Walking on the branch was a large crow, it seemed more interested in the bark than Sasuke. He frowned, and cast his senses to track his pint sized target, but the boy had disappeared.

'Ouch!'

Sasuke snapped his head to the side, holding his stinging ear, coming face to face with the crow. The crow squawked and flew out of the tree, landing on the fence leading to the back of the compound. Sasuke dropped down and walked toward the fence, just as he entered arm's length, the bird flew off again. It flew into the private clan graveyard, the graveyard that Sasuke had spent hours tending and sitting in when he was younger. He didn't want to go back but steeled himself and entered. The silence was just as lonely as he remembered, the rows of stone gave off a haunting atmosphere. He saw the crow perched on the small shrine's roof. This time when he got close, the bird flew down and landed on his shoulder. He heard the giggling again, coming from inside the shrine.

Sitting in the middle of the floor was the young boy, he turned around and Sasuke's heart stopped. It was Itachi. A young Itachi, probably around 9 or 10, before he had joined Anbu. The crow flew and landed in front of child Itachi, who started to laugh and pet the bird. Sasuke's heart restarted but constricted painfully. Seeing this vision of Itachi, so innocent and unburdened placed a great weight on his heart. It brought to mind all the hardships and pain Itachi had faced. Even now, years later, Sasuke still mourned his brother. Both the one that grew up to act as a monster and the one sitting in front of him. A new crow settled itself on his shoulder, except this one spoke.

"You have not moved on."

"I have. I buried my brother long ago."

"The vision before me says otherwise."

"This vision is a sad hope and a painful dream, I wish it was gone"

The scene before him changed. Now Itachi was older, closer to fifteen, he was sitting down with a girl holding her hand and softly smiling. The shadows flickered and now Itachi held a small baby; holding hands with small boy; hugging a young man; laying on the ground, surrounded by his family, smiling softly as he closed his eyes and his wrinkled face slackened. Sasuke was crying, he didn't draw attention to it.

"My brother deserved better."

The crow sighed, a strange sight from a bird, and turned to Sasuke, "You are correct, yet you must accept that he did not. His soul has entered reincarnation and will one day be born again. You can only hope that he receives his dues in the next life."

Suddenly, the crow's eyes sparked into life with sharingans spinning wildly.

"If you wish to know my name, you must bury Itachi, once and for all."

When Sasuke blinked, his surroundings had changed, they now stood before an open grave and laying before him was the body of Itachi; an older Itachi, with a soft smile and a face free of guilt. Hesitantly, Sasuke bent down and cradled his brother's body and began his task.

It was many hours late, Sasuke had gone through more emotional shifts than he could remember; anger, fear, sadness, doubt all came to the surface. The grave had been filled in and Sasuke had hand carved a tombstone for his brother. Once again, the crow landed on his shoulder, it was an oddly comforting presence.

"Now we can focus on the future and let the past rest," the crow's eyes once again swirled into pinwheels, "My name is Shinchona Hirro Seishin ( _Watchful Scarlet Spirit)_."

/

Naruto was having his favourite dream, what that dream consisted of had changed over the course of his life. When he was a young child, he dreamt of a mother and father holding him while he ate ramen in a warm home; when he was a teenager, he dreamt of sitting with Team Seven at Ichiraku's, wearing the Hokage hat. Near the end of his life, Naruto's favourite dream had changed once again, it would be him, sitting in his office, looking out over the village. The door would open and his family would come in and they would enjoy a helping of ramen take out for lunch. Naruto thought that's how his dream would play out; he was in his office, waiting for Hinata to open the door. He heard the creak of the hinges, turned around and then frowned. The door was open, he could see the hallway leading out into the waiting area but there was no one there.

 _CROAK_

Naruto nearly tripped over his office chair at the sudden sound. Sitting on his desk, croaking at him, was a small toad. It was a soft red with black accents running in two lines up its back, down to its forehead.

"Can I help you?"

No response, the little one just croaked again and jumped off the desk and out the window. It landed on the awning outside and turned to look at the former Hokage… who without a second thought stepped out of his window and was committed to following the strange amphibian he had just met. What can you say? Naruto likes toads.

So it went, playing a strange version of leap frog, 'Leap toad?' Naruto thought, all the way up to the Hokage monument. He let the toad jump onto his head, the way Gamakichi used to when they were both a lot smaller.

"Sooooo… are you my zanpaktou? Cause, I'll be honest, I was kind of expecting you to be a version of Kurama or something"

Naruto was then blinded by a massive smoke cloud, coughing, he cleared some of it with his hand. In front of him there was no small toad but a medium sized one; it's skin a bright yellow, with red markings around its eyes and black accents running up his arms and down his back. It was wearing a red haori with black flames running along the bottom hem. It looked young, probably an adolescent close to adulthood if Naruto's experience with his summons was any example. What drew Naruto's eye most was the cloak and the massive scroll on its back. The toad looked like Naruto after he came back from his sage training; if Naruto was a toad.

Naruto and the toad stood there, staring at each other for quite a while. Their contest of wills was interrupted by Naruto dozing off due to sheer boredom, only to be awaked by a large tongue knocking him onto his back.

"Oi! What's the big idea?"

His demand went unanswered, the toad had seemingly become bored with Naruto and had made its way into a nearby pond, where it sat in the water contently with only its eyes poking above the surface. Still staring into space, the bar pupils gleaming in the sunlight. Naruto was getting a little impatient surely, after all the time spent with Kurama, he would be able to communicate with his inner soul.

A younger Naruto would have gotten frustrated and probably try to beat the toad into speaking with him but, as his wife sought fit to remind him, he was not young. Instead of yelling or fist fighting, Naruto plopped down on the edge of the water and closed his eyes. After many days of practicing, Naruto came to the sad realization that he couldn't regain his sage mode. The problem was that he learned how to attune himself to nature; nature was heavily geared towards yang chakra, it was why you had to be weary of losing your physical form, the potent chakra would overwhelm it. Imagine Naruto's surprise, when he sat down to meditate he could feel the energy around him begin to sink into his system. He was so unprepared that he jolted and fell into the pond. When he resurfaced, he could have sworn the toad was laughing at him.

Smirking to himself, Naruto quickly swam over and clambered onto the toad, chuckling at the annoyed croaking. Settling himself down, he went back into his meditative state. Slowly opening his senses once again, Naruto felt the flow of energy in his inner world surround him. He expected it to feel like Kurama's chakra, instead it resembled the nature chakra of Mt. Myoboku and seemed to be inhabiting every part of this world. Naruto began absorbing the reiatsu slowly, at the same level as when he was first learning sage mode. It was like tree-walking, once you've done it, you never really forget. It took him a few hours to and he had to restart several times. His fifth attempt would be his last, one moment he was gathering reiatsu in his core and the next it all snapped into place. Naruto's eyes snapped open, revealing yellow orbs with a thick black bar for a pupil; around his eyes his usual red outline appeared with a new addition, two red line continued down his cheeks, very reminiscent of Jiraiya's own trademark look.

"Yatta! It's good to be back!"

"Then I guess you can get off my head."

Naruto blinked, the feminine voice had not come from him. He looked down and two sets of toad eyes met. He quickly hopped off and onto the bank of the pond. He plastered on his best smile and said hello.

The toad was not impressed, "Wipe that smile off your face you idiot. It's time to be serious", the definitely female toad chastised.

Naruto's exaggerated smile slowly fell into a simple smirk and his eyes sharpened.

"Okay, I'm Naruto, nice to meet you."

The toadess pulled herself out of the water and sat beside him, "Y'know, I hate that damn fox"

Naruto immediately took offense, "Hey now, Kurama was a friend of mine, I'd appreciate it if you didn't insult him."

The toadess actually _huffed_ at him, she blew his complaint off, "That fox may have been your friend, but he took too much of you for me to ever be happy about his presence."

"What do you mean, 'he took too much' of me?"

"I mean just that. His presence defined so much of your life, that you only later on found your true talents."

Naruto shook his head, "I don't understand what you mean. I don't think Kurama changed me that much. I'm sure that my childhood would have been happier, but I think I was always destined to be an unpredictable knucklehead"

The toadess sighed in response, "If you had been allowed to grow up without the burden of the nine-tails, you would have discovered your aptitude for sealing early on. That would have led to an apprenticeship with Jiraya-sensei much earlier. The Kyuubi took up too much of you, the true you didn't emerge until years later."

Naruto turned his gaze to the sky, "Are you talking about my sage training?"

He heard his companion shift in place, "Yes. You would have become Konoha's resident seal master. You would still have become Hokage, just much later, after inspiring an entire generation of young ninja."

Naruto shook his head, "The Fourth War would have changed all that. Without me holding the Kyuubi, who knows what would have happened."

He heard the equivalent of a toad sigh before her next response, "That is also true. I suppose my dreams for you would only have worked in a perfect world. You out of all your friends and family, have always known how to move past your limitations. I have no doubt you know your soul best. In fact," she turned to Naruto, eyes sparkling with pride, "you already know my name."

Naruto's eyes widened at the statement; she was so certain that he knew himself that well. He stood up and closed his eyes, immersing himself in his surroundings. He could feel his zanpaktou, sitting before him on the ground, he wasn't surprised to find her filled with sage chakra, same as him. He "looked" at her through his senses, slowly getting a feel for the differences between them. His eyes snapped open, his face breaking into his classic smile.

" _Yokina Seiji_ (Cheerful Sage)"

/


	5. Friendly Infiltration

Sakura was used to the stares. Back when she was still the head of the hospital the new doctors and nurses tended to stare for their first couple of weeks. By the time she was retired, anytime she came into work to teach there were stares and she understood, she was basically a living legend to those who had grown up after the Fourth Shinobi War. To them she was Uchiha Sakura, the _Hana no Ishi (the Blossom Doctor)_. What made the stares at the Shin'o Academy more difficult to swallow was that many of them were new. The stares sometimes were from young women who seemed intimidated and jealous of her, or men who seemed conflicted on whether they wanted to demean her for thinking she was as good as them and courting her to make her theirs.

When she had woken up in Soul Society, after dying from the backlash of an emergency chakra procedure that went wrong, she was found by Sasuke within 2 weeks. He had burst in through the shack she was using as a makeshift clinic, ran up to her and wouldn't let go. They spent the next month together, never leaving each other's sight. They were both back to the prime of their lives, looking as they did when Sarada was promoted to Jonin and their little Akiara was graduating from the academy. The next years were some of the happiest she could remember, reminiscing with Tsunade and Shizune, seeing all the Rookie 9 together again; all that was missing was their number one unpredictable ninja, and he showed up just like everyone knew he would. Seeing him and Hinata reunite was so heartwarming, even Sasuke teared up.

It didn't escape her notice that once Naruto got settled into their little home he began spending more time with the Shinobi Council. She knew now that it was about their entrance to the Gotei 13. Sakura had been part of the group that received the first Shinigami delegation and she had not been impressed.

/

 _FLASHBACK_

"I've just received word from Fukuro, they've made contact with the envoys."

Sakura looked up from packing her medkit, she hoped there wouldn't be a need for it. Gaara had always struck her as possessing the opposite personality of Naruto, nevertheless like Naruto he knew how to command and lead.

Temari stepped forward into the middle of their makeshift camp, "You heard the Kazekage, we're moving in 5 minutes. Finish breaking camp and be ready to head out in formation. Another reminder, the Kazekage, myself and Nara-san are the only ones authorised to negotiate. The rest of you concentrate on watching the perimeter and if this go sideways, the Kazegake is priority. Understood?"

Sakura, along with the 9 other members of their retinue gave a collective "Hai!" and resumed their tasks.

They had left the enclave the morning before and camped out farther from the mountain, waiting for the ANBU squads to find the Shinigami before all meeting at a preselected location. Sakura was curious about these Shinigami, so far her only contact with them had been a patrol that passed her by when she was returning to the enclave after being found by Sasuke. They didn't seem particularly special aside from their ability to use ying chakra.

"You ready to patch up some scrapes Sakura?" Temari's voice brought a smile to her face; Shika's wife had always been able to make her relax in tense situations.

"Scrapes, splinters; I even packed some pretty pink band aids for us."

Temari just chuckled and then gave the signal to leave.

They arrived at the meeting place quickly enough. Tree running using ying chakra wasn't easy and required quite a bit of concentration but it was still faster than normal running. It was a fairly open clearing, a smattering of trees and some light bush. After they settled themselves near the center, Sakura, Gaara, Shikamaru and Temari all stayed while the other ninja spread out and hid.

Sakura leaned over to Temari, "What were their original demands?"

Temari whispered back, "They wanted the ninja they found to give up any clan or bloodline secrets, swear allegiance to Central 46 and then live in a secluded barracks under 24/7 guard."

Sakura couldn't believe it, "Essentially they wanted them to willingly become prisoners?" she drawled.

Her long time friend shrugged, "Who knows, from what we've gathered this 'Central 46' has been unchallenged for a long time. They might just not care. It's thanks to the Gotei that the shinobi weren't forced to agree. Someone managed to explain that Madara and Kabuto weren't exactly normal ninja, then officers from something called the '10th division' confirmed it after doing their own scouting."

With that information tucked away, Sakura heard the approach of the Shinigami; it had to be the shinigami because ANBU were never that loud. Coming into the clearing was a shinobi ANBU, the only unique marking was a kanji on their shoulder for Fukuro, followed by 4 Shinigami.

As both parties came to a stop across from each other, it was the Shinigami who spoke first. "Greetings. My name is Kuchiki Takahiro and I will represent both the illustrious council of Central 46, and the Great Noble Clan of Kuchiki, in these discussions." The speaker was a young-looking man, clean shaven with sharp features; he had some sort ornate clip in his hair and a well made, silk scarf around his neck. "With me is Shihoin Yonca, representative of the Great Noble Clan of Shihoin." referencing the women in dark orange and black robes, he finished with a slight bow.

Takahiro's words were diplomatic yet his face and body language radiated disdain and it was obvious he wasn't exactly overjoyed to be there. Sakura had enough experience with politicians to pick up when they were bored and tired of you.

Gaara took it all in stride though, his calm voice matching the Kuchiki's. "Greetings to you as well. I am Sabaku Gaara, Godaime Kazekage. I shall represent the Shinobi Council and the Enclave of Yamagakure in these discussions. With me are my advisers Sabaku Temari and Nara Shikamaru" Gaara paused, "representative of the Noble Clan of Nara."

Gaara's last addition surprised Kuchiki and Shikamaru but both were too experienced to let it show. Though Sakura noticed Shikamaru subtly shift his normal "I'm tired because I'm a slacker" pose into something closer to a "I'm tired because this is beneath me" stance.

Gaara snapped his fingers and an ANBU, Tanuki, appeared with a small table and cushions. The two groups settled around the table as the Shinigami retrieved some paperwork from their satchels. One of Kuchiki's assistants passed over copies that Temari and Shikamaru began reading through.

"As per the authority of the Central 46, the following petition for the Shinobi Enclave has been offered with the full support and approval of the council." Kuchiki began, "Agreement to this new arrangement would secure the Shinobi of Yamagakure a place in not only the Gotei 13 but the Seireitei as well." He paused to give the Shinobi a chance to read the initial wordings and inspect the seals and signatures.

Gaara made a quick motion with his hand, Temari's copy of the agreement was quickly passed to the ANBU agent who appeared. Sakura focused on the woman, Shihoin, she was watching the ANBU's motions with a predatory gaze and tracked him back to his hiding spot. The mysterious shinigami seemed to sense the other ANBU and was discreetly making hand signs of her own; doubtlessly giving orders to her own hidden guards.

"The first part of the agreement ensures that the people known as 'Shinobi' shall be given equal treatment to the other denizens of Soul Society. The second part details your incorporation into the Gotei proper."

His explanation was cut short when Gaara raised his hand, "Please explain this section about being granted status as 'retainers' in exchange for entrance to the Seireitei?"

The Kuchiki cleared his throat and composed himself, "Of course. Such a large population of reiatsu rich souls requires a large amount of resources to manage and provide for. The proposed integration would have you individually apply for, or be offered, the privilege of joining a retainer clan inside the Seireitei. This way, the process of becoming proper citizens of Soul Society can move quickly."

Kuchiki seemed very pleased with this whole "retainer" idea, but Sakura saw Shikamaru's frown grow deeper as the man's explanation went on. He leaned forward and whispered to Gaara, who turned back to the Shinigami with an unsatisfied look.

"Exactly what would becoming apart of one of these clans mean?"

Kuchiki's shoulders tensed, "You would pledge your loyalty to your ruling clan, follow their edicts and listen to their decisions on where you and your people would fit best into the Seireitei" he recited.

Quick as a shuriken Gaara bit back, "Essentially we would give up our independence and become servants of a much larger clan. We would lose not only our autonomy but would be forced to adhere to laws and edicts we may not agree with or be able to follow."

Shihoin in particular did not look pleased with Gaara's summarization.

"Do either of you know much of the Elemental Nations history?" Gaara queried.

"I will admit the Kuchiki clan is still compiling geographical information about your lands and have not yet begun to research your history. As the keeper's of knowledge and law, our great Clan is expected to record your history and interactions with Soul Society."

"In that case I feel the need to educate you on the earliest part of shinobi history," Gaara took a moment to drink from the water his ANBU had set out after they sat down, "Before the creation of the hidden villages, shinobi only existed as isolated families, passing on their techniques and skills from master to apprentice. Once the Shinobi population grew large enough, Clans began to form." The Shinigami seemed slightly interested, no doubt recalling Shikamaru's improvised title, "These clans ranged from as small as 20 members to well over 300. The largest clans, the Senju and Uchiha, both numbered nearly 500 in their prime not counting their civilian members. They were capable of destroying armies, ending nations. Shinobi clans began as mercenaries and became something more, but that mercenary ruthlessness will always remain." Their Shinigami friends were paying attention now, "When the Clans eventually started uniting and forming alliances, politics simply became a new battlefield for the shinobi to use against each other." Gaara paused and focused his considerable amount of ying chakra, hoping to add weight to his words, "What you must understand, is you do not speak to the representative of a rabble of unorganized brutes. I represent soldiers who bear the weight of hundreds of years of pride, knowledge and skill. Their are clans among us who can trace their lineage back through two dozen separate wars, hundreds of years of conflict. We may have left behind our savagery, but it has been tempered by cold brutality. War, honour, and pride are not foreign concepts to us, but our way of life." Gaara's presence had grown with the addition of his ying chakra, to Sakura it felt like a weight was placed across her back, "Until Central 46 recognizes that we wish to join the Gotei 13 as newcomers worthy of respect, not as refugees to become subservient, these discussions cannot come to any meaningful conclusions." Gaara then stood, motioning for his full retinue of ANBU and shinobi to assemble behind him, "I thank you for your time and I will relay your proposal to the full Shinobi Council, but I would advise you to prepare for a total rejection. Good day Kuchiki-san, good day Shihoin-san."

/

They hadn't stayed around to see the looks on their counterpart's faces but Sakura was pretty good at imagining. After that meeting, the Shinobi Council called a full assembly (the assembly had 50 spots on it, the representatives were elected by the general populace). There they explained the offer and the consequences, everyone agreed that joining the Gotei on those terms would set a bad precedent.

Most shinobi decided it was a forgone conclusion that they would remain separate from the Gotei and went about their business. When the Sandaime Hokage showed up in Shinigami robes to meet with the Council it didn't just set the rumor mill going, it lit it on fire and pushed it down a cliff. The public announcement of a small diplomatic group joining the Gotei 13 as a "test" had the entire enclave scrambling.

An unrelated fact that should be known; a shinobi village's biggest department is it's information and logistics arm that is run exclusively by administrative shinobi; take the field agents and their handlers into account and you have a huge chunk of Chunnin and Tokubetsu Jonin working exclusively under the intelligence banner for most, if not the entirety, of their careers. Combine the public reveal that the Shinobi would soon have diplomats (aka agents) inside the Gotei with literally hundreds of former intelligence workers who are somewhat bored and you get an entire multi armed department set up overnight ready and willing to be used by the Shinobi council to begin collecting and analyzing information.

Sakura had been more focused on making sure the Yama General Hospital was ready for Shizune to take over as director in her absence. When she reported to the Shinobi Council for the details on their departure for the Gotei she was ambushed by half a dozen people with dossiers and maps, lists of topics they wanted her to look into, and an impressive array of books and ink for her to record her findings in. Once everything had been squared away she met up with the rest of her group and they began their journey to the Shin'o academy.

Sakura was doing all of this reflection while absentmindedly going through some paperwork in the school infirmary. A few weeks into their classes during a first year Hakuda spar, her partner sprained his ankle. Sakura took him to the infirmary personally but there was no nurse on stand by so Sakura took it upon herself to help him.

/

 _FLASHBACK_

"I need you to hold still Amai-san."

Amai-san was a fairly average looking boy, he looked about 16 or 17 with shoulder length hair tied in a small ponytail. They had been practicing Hakuda moves when Amai took a bad fall during one of their grapples.

"Hai, Sakura-san, I'll try." Amai's voice was shaky, his ankle had already swelled quite a bit and anytime Sakura moved it she could feel him tense up.

Sakura decided that the damage wasn't too bad but the ankle definitely needed to be immobilised until the swelling went down. She called out for some help, hoping a doctor or nurse was in another room, but no one answered. Not one to let a patient suffer, Sakura found the supply closet and grabbed what she needed. The Seireitei put on an appearance of tradition and, Sakura could only describe it as classical nostalgia, but it was in fact supported by quite advanced technology that wasn't widely available. Sakura found a small freezer with ice and grabbed a foot splint. Returning to Amai she calmed him down and began treating his ankle. She proceeded to return to the back in search of crutches for the poor boy. Finding only a locked cabinet, Sakura resolved to track down a faculty member for help in finding the nurse. She returned to find 2 women, one in a simple white coat and the other in a pink uniform, examining Amai's foot.

Deciding to speak up Sakura stepped forward, "Excuse me are you the doctor?"

The, most likely, doctor quickly looked at Sakura and seemed confused before looking to her assistant, "Do you recognize her?", seeing her assistant give a shake, the doctor stood up and walked over extending her hand as she did. "Hello, my name is Mima Yonaime, I'm the Head Healer for the Academy. Are you the one who patched up Amai-san's anke?"

Sakura filed away the name and her title for later before responding, "Yes, it was just an accident in class. No one was here so I took the liberty of doing it myself. My name is Haruno Sakura, pleasure to meet you, I apologize if I overstepped my bounds." She gave an apologetic bow. Sakura knew how fragile the ego of a medical professional could be and she had intense memories of coming into her office to find equipment and papers missing or misplaced, that day was the first time she fired a nurse on the spot and she didn't regret it.

The "Healer" gave her a long look, "I appreciate it, thank you. We were just answering a call to a 6th year zanjutsu class." Mima's eye's flickered back to Amai who was being given some water by the nurse. "Haruno-san that splint was extremely well done do you have first aid training?"

"Well I have more than just first aid,"

Mima perked up, "I've heard of there being healers out in the Rukongai, did you learn from one of them?"

Sakura held back a chuckle at the woman's eagerness, "No, I was the head of the Yamagakure Hospital before joining in the academy."

"Head… of the hospital?" Mima seemed to be processing Sakura's words at half speed. "Yama….wait you're one of the diplomats!"

Sakura could see the nurse snap to attention and completely ignore Amai but she just shrugged it off. "Anyway, now that you're hear Amai is in safe hands, I need to get back to class. It was nice meeting you Mima-san, have a good day." She gave a final bow and a wave to Amai before quickly stepping out.

/

After their first meeting it didn't take long for Mima to track her down again and invite her to lunch. That lunch turned into regular tea dates and eventually an offer to help out around the infirmary. Mima was the 13th seat of the 4th division before she had been assigned to oversee the Academy. Mima enjoyed her job, the only part she didn't like was the 4th division's tendency to send unseated officers to work under her as part of their punishments. Her staff as a consequence was usually small and unenthusiastic leading to many students choosing to avoid the infirmary and just take care of their injuries personally. When Mima found out that Sakura was a fully trained doctor, surgeon and had run a large hospital for decades she nearly fainted. She got on her knees and pleaded for Sakura to volunteer in the infirmary, if nothing else than to help train her inexperienced nurses.

After reviewing her mission directives and consulting Naruto and Shikamaru, Sakura accepted the offer. Access to a senior 4th division officer and the opportunity to endear herself to a number of unseated shinigami was too tempting to pass up. That was all well and good, but Sakura mostly agreed because anything that could give her a reprieve from the interesting yet monotonous coursework was a godsend.

Her name was already well known because of the opening ceremonies but after treating the first few patients all the students who used to avoid the infirmary started crawling out of the woodwork. Patients poured into her ward with everything from "headaches" to splinters and even a few extreme cases of self inflicted bone breaks. Sakura had to put her foot down at that point.

"Okay Honoka-sensei, make sure to do the exercises I showed you and take the medicine until it runs out. After that come back and see me."

Sakura left the elderly calligraphy instructor to her own devices as she went o put away her equipment. She had spent the last year learning about the state of medicine and general medical knowledge in the Gotei. She was somewhat impressed; while the medical department seemed posses fairly basic computers and medical technology, most of their healing revolved around kido. Sakura knew firsthand how that kind of over reliance could backfire on you, when she arrived at the enclave she was roped into helping Shizune teach the doctors and nurses how to keep practicing medicine without their jutsu, even diagnosing an injury without using chakra sensing was foreign to them. She had been lucky, Tsunade was a strict teacher and many of her most advanced techniques were so difficult because they required a huge breadth of experience in non-jutsu medicine. Whereas most medical shinobi learnt from a textbook and then moved on to using chakra, Sakura had learnt enough to easily earn a civilian medical license alongside her jutsu training.

In her reports she was already detailing how to combine the few healing kido she had seen Mima use with the old chakra techniques the shinobi medics would be familiar with. The last bandages and patient files had been put away when Sakura heard a soft call from the entrance. Walking back into the lobby she saw a Shinigami officer waiting to be helped.

The woman had a soft smile on her face, she was slender and had a very youthful face, her black hair was worn in a large braid going down her chest. Her blue eyes met Sakura's green the instant she stepped into the room, the woman was alert but not hostile. She gracefully approached Sakura before bowing, "Greetings, I'm looking for Haruno Sakura do you know where I could find her?"

Adopting her best patient-friendly smile, "She just stepped out for a moment, if you're in a hurry I can give her a message?" Sakura wasn't sure why, but the shinigami across from her gave her goosebumps.

Sakura's attempt at fishing for a name or a purpose failed, the shinigami gave her a bigger smile and tsked, "Haruno-san, dishonesty is not a very good trait in a healer."

The smile plastered on Sakura's face grew tighter, "Aaah, please excuse me, old habits die hard. How can help you Shinigami-san?"

With the deception out of the way both woman relaxed, "My name is Yachiru, I'm an officer in the 4th division; I came on behalf of my Captain to speak to you Haruno-san."

Motioning Yachiru to follow her she led them to the infirmary's small office, "I'm not sure what I have to offer Captain Unohana, I've only been a student for a short time." Sakura pondered as they sat down.

"On the contrary, I'm just here to confirm some rumors that have drifted up the ranks. I'm not here to interrogate you, I'm here to clear the waters as it were."

That caught Sakura off-guard, she knew Shinobi had the habit of been gossips but she didn't think the same would apply to an organisation like the Gotei. She motioned for Yachiru to continue.

"The most prevalent rumors are that you can heal any injury with a kiss and that you give each of your patients a blooming flower to speed along their recovery." Yachiru could barely withhold her laughter; Sakura's only reaction was a flat stare.

Yachiru got out her last giggles and composed herself, "Forgive me. The rumor that actually warrants investigation is that you were the Head of the Shinobi Enclave's hospital before becoming a student."

"That's what made it all the way up the ranks? You shinigami must be more boring than I thought. Yes, it's true. Before accepting the offer to join the Gotei 13 I was the Chief Physician for Yamagakure General Hospital."

"How did you manage to organize a hospital? Where would you get the equipment? Not to mention how long it would take to train up a staff large enough to operate an entire hospital." Yachiru looked genuinely delighted and confused by her answer.

"I thought it would've been well known. Shinobi that crossover to Soul Society retain their memories."

"As I understood it, Shinobi simply had a better recollection of their life. Places, names, faces. I didn't even consider you could recall something as complicated as medical training."

Sakura nodded her head in understanding, "From what I've read it should be impossible to remember so much. Than again, compared to souls from the living world, Shinobi are impossible to begin with."

"Thank you for your time Haruno-san" Yachiru rose and the two made their way back to the front of the clinic. "Have you given any thought to what squad you'd like to join after graduating?"

Sakura smirked, "If it isn't obvious the 4th would be my first choice, but my backup would be the Kido Corps."

Sakura opened the door to let Yachiru out, they bowed to each other but before leaving Yachiru had one last question. "Haruno-san, what do you think is a healer's most important duty?"

Sakura took a few moments to come up with an answer, "Well, personally I've always believed that the best healer's have the power to stop any threats before they can do harm and the wisdom to accept that you can't save everyone." Life as a medic-nin and surgeon was filled with loss, maybe not personal loss, but Sakura had seen many people die on the battlefield and the operating table. Some she had failed to save and some were beyond saving. To make peace with that she had to accept those deaths, carry the failures and then shed the guilt. In this way, Sakura always felt she was a better doctor than Tsunade.

Yachiru didn't smile, she simply gave a single nod and then walked out. With her shift at the infirmary over, Sakura began making her way to the dorms reflecting on her short interaction with the soul reaper. There was something about Yachiru's gaze that unsettled her; her eye's seemed to flirt between calculating, approving and eagerness. Sakura only hoped it meant she'd put in a good word with Captain Unohana.

/

A mighty slap followed by the crack of wood echoed inside the hall. The sides of which were filled with students. The racks adjacent to the door were packed with quite a few swords ranging from full length katanas, to wakazashis and tantos. The majority of the spectators were 5th and 6th year students all with calloused hands and more than a few scars from sparring with live steel. They were also watching the centre of the zanjutsu dojo intently. Specifically, they were watching the man finishing a rather fast kata.

He was of average height with grey hair, dark skin and a lollipop stuck in his mouth. He's wearing the standard blue student uniform, except he'd pulled the top coat down to give his arms more freedom. He stands calmly on the mat, arranged around him are wooden pillars each the height of a grown man. This was Omoi's regular routine. He would start his warmup with stretches and basic katas before going through a routine with the wooden stands.

Taking deep breaths Omoi cleared his mind and began mapping out his moves. Omoi might have had an overactive imagination but like any skilled warrior he knew how to limit and focus his mind. With a single loud step the dojo was filled with the clack of wood on wood. Like music there wasn't a second that passed without sound. Omoi linked every movement of his body into the next hit.

He brought his sword down on the first stand, pivoted to his left and used the natural momentum of his body to strike the next stand , with his bokken now on his left side he used his new stance to fluidly lunge and stab the stand an arm's length away.

The intricate routine went on until every single one of the 20 stands had been hit, Omoi never stopping for more than a breath. His final hit actually bent its target, leaving the dojo still once more. The spectators gave a quiet clap which Omoi bowed to. After over a year of regular appearances, most of his classmates had become comfortable around him and lost the awe-struck puppy looks.

One of his closer acquaintances, a buddy more than a friend, came up to him. "A little slow this morning Omoi, you getting enough sleep?"

Fujioji was an intimidating figure from a distance. A woman composed of tough skin and strong muscles, her hair perpetually styled in a tight bun. Fujioji was one of the best zanjutsu users in the academy, she came from a minor noble clan that had always prided themselves on their blade skills. She once joked she'd first held a sword as a toddler and the milk she had drank from her mother had been laced with iron.

"I think so… but I did wake up this morning without my pillow. What if I've been sleepwalking, leaving the academy at night and roaming the streets of the Seireitei sword in hand fighting thugs and criminals that cross my path. I could be a vigilante and not even know it. One morning I might wake up in a cell with no memory of how I got there, covered in blood from the shinigami I killed during my dream fueled, one-man crusade against injustice."

"That's nice Omoi, I think you'd be a great crime fighter. Now c'mon, some of the other students want to spar." Fujioji gently guided the muttering Omoi to a seat and some water. She also had the patience to listen endlessly, Omoi suspected she had perfected the art of spacing out and let his speeches slide in one ear and out the other.

Quickly the dojo was filled with the normal bustle of spars and practice. 6th year students had unrestricted access to the zanjutsu dojos outside of class, students in 1st-5th had to get special permission from an instructor. Normally, the dojo would be filled with 6th year students who specialized in zanjutsu and maybe one or two 5th years who had advanced skills. Omoi learnt all this from a dorm mate in his first week and quickly decided that he needed somewhere to practice without getting in trouble.

/

FLASHBACK

Omoi smoothly opened the door and stepped into the dojo. There were a number of duels going on so most of the room's attention was focused on the mats. He glanced at the weapons held along the walls, there weren't many.

"Oy!"

The call came from his right, Omoi turned to see two men and a woman approaching him. The man leading the trio had an irritated look on his face, it reminded him of the more arrogant Cloud shinobi he had worked with.

He put on his best polite face and gave a small bow, "Hello"

The trio stopped, the leader was a few inches taller than; he had light brown hair slicked back with muddy green eyes. He ran his eyes over Omoi's frame a few times before noticing the lack of sword on his waist or the wall.

"I haven't seen you around before. What year are you in?" His voice may have been posturing but there was a hint of strength to it.

The question was innocent enough, "I'm a new student senpai, but my friends and I have been put into 4th year classes."

Omoi's new friend started twitching rather badly, Omoi hoped that his luck was going to hold and this wouldn't turn into a "situation". The two companions seemed to be eyeing their leader with some hesitance.

"In that case, I think you've read your schedule wrong. Right now the Zanjutsu dojo is only open to certain students. I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Omoi simply shrugs, "I'm pretty sure I'm in the right place. If you could just point me to…" he pulled out a sealed letter and read the name inked on the front, "Shiba Hiroji, he'll straighten everything out."

The leader went very still, eyes flickering between Omoi's face and the letter in question. Slowly, he held out his hand, "I'm Shiba Hiroji."

Omoi answered by passing the letter open and watching his senpai read it carefully. The leade- Hiroji, handed the letter over to his friend who also read it, then snapped his head up, "You're Uyeda Omoi!"

"You're one of the shinobi diplomats?" Hiroji followed up, dropping into a bow after Omoi nodded. "Please forgive my rudeness."

Hiroji looked up and found a wrapped lollipop behind held in front of his face. He met Omoi's easy smile with one of his.

"Apology accepted. Mind explaining how things work around here, I don't want to step on any toes."

"Sure, let me show you around." As Omoi and Hiroji began walking, Hiroji waved his companions off.

Hiroji showed Omoi the appropriate places to spectate and spar, the rules and etiquette expected of him, and explained his abrasive attitude.

"Duels aren't uncommon here. If you're here outside of class, everyone else assumes a certain amount of skill from you. In the past, students who didn't receive permission or bribed their way in have ended up in duels and left injured, a few even dead. I might not be the best swordsman here but I like to make sure only people who are ready are here."

Omoi was watching a spar between two adequate warriors while listening, "Understandable. Does this mean I need to prove myself somehow?"

Hiroji chuckled, "No, no need to prove yourself." Hiroji caught the eye of someone across the hall, a man with 2 scars running horizontally above his left eye. Hiroji seemed to reconsider, "At least, you don't have to prove yourself to me. I'll just tell you to watch who ends up watching you."

Omoi finished his lollipop and pulled out a fresh one, also eyeing the man, "I'll keep that in mind."

/

Omoi was in the middle of correcting another student's form when a throat was cleared behind him. Turning he couldn't stop himself from tensing, "Sechiko-san, how can I help you."

It turned out the scarred man Hiroji was wary of was a 6th year zanjutsu prodigy named Sechiko Niiro. Niiro's clan, the Sechiko, act as one of the guards of Central 46; they are disciplined and expected to enforce order and loyalty among the citizens of Soul Society. It wasn't exactly a secret that many members of Central 46 didn't trust the Shinobi, and not so subtly had pushed for the forced integration and subjugation of the enclave. That attitude had trickled down to some of the clan members attending the Academy. Niiro had been giving Omoi looks ever since learning his name. Omoi suspected that words had been exchanged with his clan and Niiro was simply awaiting instruction. After all, how many had access to the Shinobi away from the faculty and in private? Omoi had been expecting this.

"Uyeda-san, I've come to challenge you." Niiro's voice was softer than one would expect. A few students had said he took after his mother in many regards.

"Very well, what are the terms?"

The spectators nearby had gone silent.

"Live steel, to first blood."

"Who's gonna judge?"

Niiro looked to Fujioji who was quickly making her way over to them.

"I trust Runshi-san to be impartial."

Fujioji looked to Omoi who gave a small nod, "I agree. Are there any stakes?"

The two began moving onto the mats, positioning themselves opposite of each other. The other duels in the dojo were put on hold as everyone paused to watch. Niiro was considered one of the, if not the best swordsman in his year. Omoi was considered by many to be one of the best swordsman in the entire academy, only lagging behind some others because of his lack of Shikai (the traditional sign of a prodigy).

"If I am victorious you, Uyeda Omoi, shall agree to serve the Sechiko Clan as a retainer for 20 years."

His declaration caused a quite a stir. Omoi had an uncharacteristic look of deep concentration. He was weighing the pros and cons of being forced into such a position. He was confident he could keep critical information classified if he lost but being pulled into such a political situation without any strong allies to pull him out was worrying. He might not be able to come up with a thousand and one solutions like Shikamaru, he could definitely manage a dozen or so.

"If you are the victor I, Sechiko Niiro, shall agree to serve as your bodyguard and attendant for the same 20 years."

That certainly changed things. The Sechiko might not have been an especially important clan but they had connections, being able to turn the next Sechiko Head into an ally, perhaps even a confidant would be a great first step in establishing the Shinobi inside the Seireitei.

"I accept."

Fujioji stood between the two as another student brought them their swords, another student handed her a red flag. "The contest shall be to first blood. The terms are set and shall be respected."

Omoi's blade was a kodachi, a short sword about 60cm in length, with a candy red handle and a white guard. Niiro's blade was a tachi, it was the length of a katana but was more curved, it had a dark green sheathe and the handle seemed to be made of a single piece of unwrapped iron, it hung horizontally across his back.

Fujioji held the flag above her head, "Begin!" and brought it down.

/

Omoi and Niiro lunged forward closing the distance between them while drawing their blades. Omoi had less reach and had to deflect a few probing stabs from Niiro.

In response, Omoi feinted left and closed in briefly locking shoulders with Niiro, who absorbed the shock and used the momentum to shift Omoi off balance and attempted to slash his exposed back.

Instead of tripping, Omoi dived before quickly turning to deflect Niiro's follow up.

Noticing how out of position they both were, slowly the two men walked back to the middle of the mat.

Niiro widened his stance and shifted so his blade was laying across his right shoulder and while his right arm reached to touch his left elbow. He quickly shouted, **"Hold your burden, Omotai Futan (Heavy Burden)!"** A dark light exploded from his sword, concealing him momentarily.

Omoi tried to rush for a quick attack but wasn't quick enough. As his blade stretched out a flash of iron came from the light and slammed into Omoi's sword, sending it straight into the ground without resistance. Omoi barely held onto the grip, nearly losing his hold on the blade.

Stepping out of the light the change to Niiro was obvious, his once curved steel sword had reversed directions. The curve now running along the back of the blade, it resembles a cross between a katana and a sickle, the steel having been replace by raw sharpened iron.

Omoi collected himself, and when Niiro made another lunge he brought up his sword to deflect it down to his right which would open up Niiro's side. That plan was trashed when at the moment Omoi made contact with Niiro his blade was again nearly thrown from his hands. Dodging the next few slashes, Omoi narrowly dodge a cut to the leg.

"Uyeda-san, I respect you for your skill. Please understand that this duel is for the honour of our respective people, nothing more."

Omoi took in his words and decided to overcome Niiro's unknown Shikai ability with speed. Focusing, Omoi shunpoed twice, to Niiro's back side and then again to his right; each time getting closer. His shunpo was fast enough that Niiro was only able to bring his sword up in a last second guard after turning right. Omoi knew that his kodachi would knick the tip of Niiro's before continuing down and cutting through his shoulder.

'Shikai… don't forget about Shikai' was Omoi's only thought. His sword had nicked the tip of Niiro's blade, it should have continued down as gravity commanded. Should have, what it did do was go back up. Omoi had thought the deflection was caused by Niiro's Shikai granting extreme strength or something similar. His new theory was that the sword actually repulsed whatever struck it.

He couldn't use any kido or bakudo because of the duel's rules, he wasn't fast enough to outmaneuver him when even just a glancing touch would throw off his strike. What to do, what to do. If he lost he'd become a retainer, the Sechiko clan would would expect him to do as they said. They could torture him, get him thrown in jail, they could just kill him and nothing would ever come of it. He was really starting to like this place too.

Omoi's thought process was stopped when he had to dodge a low swip from Niiro that caught Omoi's sheathe and sent him flipping end over end. Niiro wasn't taking any chances and pinned Omoi's shoulder to the floor with his knee and brought his blade down quickly.

Omoi began struggling to move when he heard a voice, it was young with a formal accent. **"You have reached your height. Your worst nightmare has come to past. Even if you survive your… captivity… you will never recover from this loss."**

"I have a responsibility. I have a mission. I have a future." Omoi helplessly replied.

 **"It matters not. You cannot reach any higher."**

Omoi looked into the reflection of his own blade, moving in slow motion to put up some kind of defense. He could see the sky, see his own grave, even see his death. What a death it would be… fighting with everything he had mentally and physically.

Omoi was laidback, he was not lazy. You couldn't devote your life to kenjutsu and be lazy, the two are incompatible. He had to come back from this. All his life, as long as he had steel in his hand he could come back from any defeat. After the death of his brother and father, Killer B and Kamui's death, he poured his loss and rage into his kenjutsu styles. He came out of that time tempered and resolved. He took on apprentices and taught them everything he knew, when his leg gave out in a duel with a samurai he knew his students would take his energy and add to it, growing it into something new, something better.

He just had to do it again. He had been knocked down, now he had to come back up. It was so simple.

 **"Fall Tsubame Geasi (Swallow Turn)!"**

Omoi's kodachi hadn't been long enough to cross Niiro's blade. With Omoi's scream his blade transformed in a storm of feathers.

Niiro felt his blade slam into something and saw that Omoi was now weilding a nodachi (a sword nearly 90 cm long!). It had been rebounded but wedged itself into the dojo floor keeping Omoi safe.

Kicking Niiro back, Omoi regained his footing.

"Politics always gets in the way of skill. You'll learn when to ignore it Sechiko-san" Omoi's advice was punctuated by a leap across the mats with his nodachi held high.

Niiro hunkered down and prepared; not for the block but for the opportunity to strike Omoi after he was deflected. When the nodachi came down, it hit nothing but air.

Niiro had his sword in a horizontal guard, caught unaware he simply shifted his blade down to block again. As Omoi brought his blade up, feathers fell to the floor. The iron sickle-sword and the washing-pole met. They held against each other for a microsecond, long enough for Niiro to register his Shikai abilities failure, before the stalemate broke.

Niiro fell back to the floor, bleeding from his nose.

Omoi stood above him, Swallow feathers gently blowing around his feet.

/


	6. Amicable Espionage

The sun peeked over the Academy and illuminated the courtyard. The white stone was well cared for and led from the doors of the building to the farthest wall, about 20 feet away. The wall itself was marked with cracks, ash and craters. Dozens of targets held up by poles stood in front of the abused wall.

A searing blue light explodes across the courtyard, the wave of light forming a sphere that flew towards some of the lower targets. As it traveled the energy began to dissipate and the ball went off course, smashing into the ground and shooting pieces of rubble into the air.

Pacing at the origin of the light was Lee. He rubbed his hands over his face before setting his sights on the targets.

"If I cannot cast this kido correctly I will run the Academy obstacle course 100 times on one leg!"

Lee thrust out his right palm while intoning, "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado #33: Sokatsui!"

Blue light gathered around his arm before surging into his outstretched hand, coalescing into a sphere that burst out at high speeds. Lee watched as his spell nearly made it to the targets...only to lose cohesion and hit the ground once again.

Lee let out a frustrated cry and bounced forward onto his hands. He began handstand walking around the practice area.

Lee's frustration was actually cumulative. With his newfound ability in Kido and Reiatsu manipulation he had been working hard to improve. Unlike his fellow shinobi, Lee didn't have decades of experience manipulating chakra to rely on when learning kido. He was basically starting from scratch and had to devote a lot of his free time to catch up with his comrades.

He had finally managed to break into the 30-level Hados, and was working through the 20-level Bakudos. Considering that to graduate you only needed to perform the first 10 spells in each category, Lee was doing exceptionally well but had decided to ease out of his Kido in favour of the other fields until graduating.

Hado #33: Sokatsui was the final one he wanted to learn but it was proving to be a hard nut to crack. At its base, Sokatsui is simply a more powerful version of #31: Shakkaho but the extra energy and range of the spell necessitated more control, control that Lee didn't seem capable of.

Lee was so lost in thought he had begun to do handstand pushups, lost in his own world he nearly fell over when a soft voice called out to him.

"Excuse me!"

Lee managed to turn his fall into a flip and came upright to see a shinigami in black robes walking towards him. The newcomer had mild features and brown scholarly hair, he wore a pair of square glasses in front of his soft brown eyes.

He gave a soft smile as he walked close enough to speak, "My apologies, I just wanted to let you know that the training ground is booked for the rest of the morning."

Lee was quick to introduce himself and apologize but was cut off, "There's no need, it's nice to meet you Lee-san, my name is Sosuke Aizen."

Lee learned Aizen was an officer in the 5th division and had come to the academy as a favour to the 1st year kido instructors. He was going to be giving a seminar on the finer points of Kido before doing a session of personal instruction to help the new students get a firm grasp on the beginnings of Hado and Bakudo.

One thing led to another and Aizen asked if Lee would like to participate. Lee enthusiastically agreed, Aizen chuckled at Lee's energetic personality and spoke with him until the the seminar began.

Lee sat enraptured by Aizen. His first forays into Kido under the guidance of the Academy instructors hadn't been easy. His comrades couldn't help him too much either, they were used to manipulating energy subconsciously. It was like trying to describe muscle memory to someone who had never used their arms. Lee overcame it with determination and boundless energy. From his experimentation with his zanpaktou though he wanted to dive head first into Kido but decided to shore up his other skills to an acceptable level before then.

Aizen explained Kido in a unique way. The conventional method described it as taking your Reiatsu and allowing the incantation to shape it; Aizen's method involved slowly studying the way the Reiatsu moves and then mimicking it while saying the spell. This combination made it much easier to use the spell without the incantation but take much longer to truly master.

Lee was amazed at Aizen's ability to woo the crowd of students, he reminded him of the speeches given by the Third Hokage in his childhood. Calm, gentle but backed by wisdom; Aizen answered any and all questions with poise and thoughtful responses.

At the end of the session Lee at the practice range. Raising his palm up he took deep breaths and intoned once again, taking care to enunciate each word, "Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hado #33: Sokatsui!"

The blue sphere quickly formed and shot off, not as fast this time. It sailed straight and narrow but began to lose shape. Lee leaned forward, willing it to stay together. A loud bang and a cloud of dust revealed two targets side by side completely shattered and a line carved into the wall behind.

Aizen came up to him clapping with a wide smile, "Very good Lee-kun! Keep practicing and kido will become a very reliable tool for you."

Slightly embarrassed, Lee rubbed his nose to cover up his blush. "I have you to thank Aizen-san, Kido takes a lot of concentration and effort for me. Your words and guidance are truly great, you are indeed a very youthful teacher!"

Aizen seemed amused but didn't seem to be laughing AT Lee's quirky way of speaking. He gave Lee's shoulder a squeeze. "In any case, I look forward to seeing your progress. When you graduate maybe consider joining my division, the 5th could use a hard worker like you."

Lee had stars in his eyes, "I will keep that in mind Aizen-san!"

Aizen bowed, "Until next time Lee-kun" and made for the exit.

"Until our YOUTHS converge once more Aizen-san!"

Lee's cry echoed across the court and he left minutes later with a satisfied smile and a gleam of appreciation in his big eyes.

/

Shikamaru missed his wife. The silent, calculating, former adviser to the Hokage was feeling lonely. Academy regulations made it clear that only students, staff and Shinigami officers could visit the academy regularly. The only time outsiders were permitted on campus was with permission from the headmaster. Exceptions existed of course, during New Years each student was allowed up to 3 visitors for the day to enjoy the festivities. Another regulation was that students were not allowed to leave campus without permission. These two facts meant Shikamaru had only seen his wife once in the last year; they exchanged letters but it wasn't the same.

Shikamaru and Temari had passed away together shortly after their retirement from active duty. They had both been hit by a mysterious jutsu from a rogue kiri clan. It had damaged their veins and muscles; Sakura had been able to mitigate the effect and heal the damage, but the long term effects eventually caught up to them.

Entering Soul Society had been a shock but he and Temari had settled into a comfortable routine. They got to one of the nicer districts, District 4, and began built a small house. Shikamaru became an ad hoc accountant for the local merchants, saving them quite a bit of money and pointing out inconsistencies; Temari spent her days at a local medicine shop helping to care for the various herbs and ingredients.

Soon enough they began encountering Shinigami who frequented the district. Shikamaru in particular ended up at the same bar as them and earned a reputation for being a good opponent in Shogi and Go. It was during a game against a Shinigami officer that he heard about the appearance of the shinobi and their apparent dismissal from the Gotei. That night he went home and informed Temari, they began making plans to search out the shinobi.

Temari started cultivating her own medicine and Shikamaru used his merchant contacts to start gathering information. A couple of weeks later the couple made a quick tour of the neighbouring districts, ostensibly so Temari could sell her herbs to the local shops but also for Shikamaru to begin laying the base for… "rumor network" would be a better description than "spy network". He balanced the books for a couple merchants, a few bars and inns, just asking that if they heard anything interesting they let him know.

For the next four or five months they kept on, Temari got very familiar with the local fauna and Shikamaru gained a reputation as the one to call if you wanted to put your finances in the black. The Nara was worried whoever had already crossed over had either died or gone to ground, until he decided to check in on a tip about a mysterious woodworker who had shown up in District 8.

/

FLASHBACK

The shop was squished in between a school and a pottery shop. It was unassuming but Shikamaru could smell sawdust as soon as he stepped up to the door. He slid it open and stepped inside, Temari following. Shikamaru quickly took in the workspace, filled with wood and various finished projects. He could make out some farm tools, pottery equipment and some simple toys.

Temari then grabbed his collar and roughly jerked him towards her, he barely got a word out, "Whoa dear what's wron-", when he noticed the intricate carving hanging against the shop wall. It was about the size of a serving tray, made from dark cherry wood with a slightly red stain, etched meticulously into it was the symbol of Konohakagure. Shikamaru felt the knot of tension in his belly, which he had been expertly ignoring for the last few weeks, uncoil.

Another door in the corner of the shop slid open, out stepped a man with short brown hair and black, almond-shaped eyes wearing a sleeveless shirt and an apron. Speaking of almond-shaped eyes, they had turned into full circles when he spotted the couple standing in his shop.

"Shikamaru? Temari?" Yamato was already halfway across the room.

"Yamato!" Shikamaru was sporting a wide grin as he embraced his fellow shinobi.

END FLASHBACK

/

Yamato had been part of a smaller group of shinobi who all ended up in the same district after being konsod. By chance they ran into the group that had left the Seireitei after being detained by the Gotei 13. Together they had set up a camp in the forests of District 10. That had been quite some time ago, they had recently decided to send out agents to find more shinobi and direct them to the camp. Yamato was just one of many sent out as shopkeepers and travelers.

In short order they had directions and a list of passcodes memorized. They spent a couple weeks closing their home down and tying up loose ends before heading for District 10. There was a lot of sappy reunions, Shikamaru finally got to introduce his parents to his wife and tell them about his son. Temari didn't let Gaara and Kankuro out of her sight for weeks. Seeing his Dad, Uncle Chouza and Uncle Inoichi… it ranked right up there with the first time he held Shikadai.

Shikamaru and Temari were both quickly pulled into the Kage's inner circles. Shikamaru began overseeing the infrastructure of the camp. Alongside a number of Iwa shinobi he mapped out the plans for the mountain enclave. Shinobi began to trickle in as the word spread further and further. It wasn't long before there were 200 hundred people living in Yamagakure, "The Village Hidden in the Mountain". That number had grown to 400 when the Sandaime arrived to negotiate.

He had agreed to join the Gotei 13, with Naruto leading them he couldn't refuse. Shikamaru's initial impressions of the Gotei hadn't been kind but he decided to withhold judgement until they had a better understanding of the organization as a whole.

His objective was to learn the ins and outs of the Gotei's structure and their mentality. Hanging around with students wasn't the way to do that, instead he began ingratiating himself with the teachers. Unlike his teammates, who geared their personalities toward the younger and more impressionable students, Shikamaru maintained his air of authority and maturity, detering his classmates and instructors from perceiving him as "one of kids". It started with small talk outside of class on advanced subjects, moved on to shogi games and eventually led to invitations to small gatherings out in the Seireitei.

That's where he was now, at a small bar the Academy staff frequented. He'd been invited to the teacher's annual pre-graduation celebration. Normally he would use the occasion to gather more information, except he'd been hit by a deep longing to see Temari that morning and couldn't stop himself from moping. He held up his hand and started motioning for another bottle of sake when a full bottle was set down right in front of him.

"Care to share a drink Nara-san?"

The voice gave him a headache. It was light, teasing and so obviously fake. Shikamaru slowly pulled up from his slouch and came face to face with a tall, lean-built man with light skin and gray eyes. His hair was messy and light-blond (almost pale), with strands framing the sides of the face and hanging between his eyes. The stranger was also sporting a smile so fake it reminded him of Sai before Ino got a hold of him. Shikamaru didn't give the sword and black robes a second glance before making a lazy wave toward the opposite side of the table. He ignored the Shinigami officer in favour of pouring two cups. He passed one over and raised a toast, they both drank quickly.

"Mmmmm, nothing quite like a drink on a cold night eh Nara-san?"

"You're not wrong."

"I've read that you Shinobi had quite a variety of liquor back in the Elemental Nations."

"Yea, have you been there often?"

"Ooooh no, I just read some of the reports coming out of the 10th division. They're quite popular you know."

Shikamaru could only muster up a eyebrow raise, "Good to know my homeland makes for interesting reading."

"Where are my manners?" his new drinking partner bowed, "Urahara Kisuke at your service."

"You already seem to know me." Shikamaru wasn't impressed, the whole "mysterious, polite genius" schtick got old by the time Kabuto was finally put in the ground. Hiding your intelligence behind a quirky dunce persona was counter to the Nara approach.

"Well the Academy staff has such glowing things to say. It's not surprising your name filtered up the ranks."

'All our names' Shikamaru concluded, he had been hoping Sakura's meeting had been coincidental.

"Well the Gotei seems to appreciate skill. We Shinobi just happen to have a lot of it."

"Skill is a good way to describe it. Sayyyy…" Urahara leaned his elbows onto the table and rested his chin in his hands. He looked like a child about to ask his father a question. "Would you be able to explain something to me Nara-kun?"

Shikamaru let the question hang, shifting his attention to refilling their cups before answering. "I'd be willing to, if you met me halfway."

Urahara, already becoming the most troublesome blonde Shika knew, grinned while his eyes lit up in interest. "A bargain, you are very daring for an academy student Nara-kun. I'm curious enough to agree."

Shikamaru gave a shrug and leaned back onto his hands, "You can go first."

"Myself and some of my, let's call them, colleagues are curious. We've been asking ourselves, 'What's the best way to deal with the shinobi'. You see, there's a lot of people worried about split allegiances. The clans are annoying enough as is, some of us don't know if the Gotei can handle having another faction thrown into the mix. What I want to know Nara-kun, is how do the Shinobi fit in to Soul Society?" Urahara ended his rambling with a giggle, there was that glimpse of unhinged sanity Shika had been looking for.

Shikamaru took less than a second to reply, "Throughout history there have been many Shinobi that liked to think of themselves as philosophers. They came up with a hundred and one different interpretations on what being a Shinobi truly meant. Early thoughts said that a Shinobi is a warrior who should fight for the survival of the clan and nothing more. It evolved into a school of thought that said Shinobi should be tools, unfeeling and unthinking, nothing more than a means to an end. Of course you have leaders who believe Shinobi are guardians, men and woman who willingly go into the shadows for the sake of those they love and cherish. I'm a big believer in the last one." Shikamaru finished the last of his liquor with a single gulp, "The truth is, all you need to do is give us Shinobi a place and people to fight for. We're like dogs that way, we'll kill gladly and happily if we get our treat and pet at the end of the day."

"Interesting, interesting. I have one more thing to ask, but please, you had a question for me?"

"Just a simple one."

"Oh there's no such thing a simple question Nara-kun, we both know that."

"If the Shinobi wished to gain a certain amount of… protection. Where could they find it?"

Urahara was playing with one of his bangs while Shikamaru spoke.

"Well there a couple of key organisations within the Gotei. I'm sure you learned about them in the Academy."

"It wasn't too hard to discern the important information from the bland textbooks. From my estimation, while the Captain Commander nominally holds ultimate power in the Gotei, he needs the support of others to maintain control."

Urahara simply waited for him to continue, Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"On paper, the Onmitsukidō and the Kido Corps both report to the Captain Commander and follow his orders; from what I've been able to gather it's more like they're autonomous organizations that are allied with the Gotei 13."

"Oh and why would they do that?"

"Both organizations were started indpendantly of the Gotei and were only merged into the structure by the Captain Commander's clever politicking. I doubt they would give up their control so easily. The Captain Commander also has to obey Central 46, which means he has to have the support of at least a few key nobles to maintain power. Finally, there are the Captains. They, more so even than the Captain Commander, hold the most sway over the Gotei 13. Their troops are often loyal to a fault, especially the ones from minor clans or the Rukongai. What I want to know is who out of that list would be our best bet."

Urahara's coy grin had turned into a full blown smile, teeth and all. Shikamaru hoped the man was only a messenger, he wouldn't survive having to deal with him more than once.

"The ideal scenario would be to have shinobi in every possibly place at varying levels of authority."

"Obviously, but that's not realistic right now."

"Then the best you could would be to get one of your own chosen to be a Captain as quickly as possible. Having friends in the 2nd division and Kido Corps would certainly help. As for Central 46… really you just need to make nice with one, hopefully two, of the Four Great Noble Families. Once you have those bonds cemented, it will be much easier to ease into the rest of the Seireitei."

Shikamaru gave it some thought before sighing and generally began looking miserable. "If I were looking to make friends," He closed his eyes, as if trying to ward off the coming answer, "who would I speak to?"

"Ooooooh my!" Urahara exclaimed, just loud enough for others to look over. Shikamaru tried to hide his face in his cup but wasn't very successful, the whole place was whispering now. "I suppose I could help you out, I know a fair share of Shinigami. I would need a favour or two in exchange."

"What kind of favour?"

"Just a couple more meetings like this, one or two nights out. A chance for us to exchange ideas, you could say."

Shikamaru waved for the waitress, who brought over a full bottle. He quickly poured to saucers and brought one to his lips.

"Just so you know, I'm married" and tossed the rice wine back, preparing himself for the troublesome nights ahead.

/

Operation: Empty Grave

Author: **CLASSIFIED**

Codename: Komori

This is my 5th report since our group successfully entered the Shin'o Academy.

Aside from my other duties, I've been carefully monitoring the strength of those I come into contact with.

The instructors at the Academy are all semi-retired or medically discharged Shinigami, there are a few guest lecturers who are active officers and of course the general student population.

You can find detailed records of approximate power and skill levels attached, labeled Academy Faculty and Student Body, Assessment B.3.

With the first year of our education finished, we will be moving into different classes in the following semester.

I will be taking all 5th year courses with the exception of Kido.

Taka will be joining the 6th year Zanjutsu and Hakuda classes.

Zo will be moving into 6th year Hakuda.

Beto will remain in 5th year, as will Ubume.

Tengu and Kitsune will be moving into 6th year Zanjutsu, Hakuda and Kido.

 **SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIRED: A-RANK**

With the visits from the seated officers there were a few persons of interest that stood out. These people had extremely high reiatsu levels alongside their rank, I advise marking them for investigation and observation.

Kuchiki Sojun 

Rank: Lieutenant, 6th Division.

Reiatsu / Skill: Elite Jonin / S-Rank

Comments: Stoic and duty bound, Kuchiki is responsible for a monthly lecture on the history of the Seireitiei. The Kuchiki clan has some of the most detailed records in Soul Society. Kuchiki seems cut off and cold, very similar to Hyuuga or Aburame disposition. If tradition is followed, he shall takeover for his father as Captain of the 6th Division.

Recommendation: Initial contact with Shinobi Clan. Introduce to the traditional and lawful aspects of Shinobi society. Socialize through proper customs, perhaps approach with offers of trade? Bear in mind that Kuchiki-san is the next Head of the Kuchiki Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans. Their support could be instrumental in establishing our presence.

Sosuke Aizen 

Rank: Lieutenant, 5th Division.

Reiatsu / Skill: Elite Jonin / S-Rank

Comments: A genial, sometimes overly friendly shinigami. Intelligent but careful not to appear superior to others. Admired by many students and a likely candidate for Captaincy.

Recommendations: Contact with an expert at masking their emotions and thoughts. Chosen agent should also have experience in undercover and counter-intelligence work. Have a confidant or loyal subordinate turned into a double agent.

Shiba Isshin 

Rank: Captain, 10th Division.

Reiatsu / Skill: Kage / SS-Rank

Comments: An extrovert and charismatic leader. Has a genial, friendly aura that draws in others and provokes loyalty. Most apt personality comparison would be Jiraiya-sama and, to a lesser extent, Naruto-sama when he is feeling "goofy".

Recommendations: Two preferable options. A) Have initial contact be with an agent that Captain Shiba will see as interesting and possess an off-puting or serious outlook. I believe in this case Captain Shiba will attempt to "break the shell" of the agent, necessitating him to interact more fully with Shinobi as a whole. B) If found, send Jiraiya-sama and leave the two to their own devices. If not I believe Hatake-sama or Naruto-sama would be good second choices. Bear in mind that Captain Shiba's nephew is the current Head of the Shiba Clan, one of the Four Great Noble Clans. Their support could be instrumental in establishing our presence.

 **NEXT REPORT - 3 WEEKS FROM DELIVERY, DROP POINT 2.**


	7. Sympathetic Investigation

The cat refused to break eye contact, Sasuke was starting to suspect it wasn't even a real cat simply a well painted statue. He had been minding his own business walking through one of the street markets in the Seireitei when he becoming curious after noticing the same cat at 3 different stalls. Taking a detour into a small restaurant he ate a quick meal and made his way out the back. He took a step into the alley to find, sitting on the wall in front of him, the cat in question. At first glance it appeared unassuming, pure black fur with yellow eyes, it was on closer inspection that the feline's expression took on a smug air. Sasuke and his stalker had been staring for 2 minutes straight at this point.

Movement! The cat tensed...and sneezed; the snort echoed down the alley before leaving the pair in silence. Shaken out of the staring contest, Sasuke walked up to the wall so the cat was directly above him. Reaching out with his hand he slowly went to pet the cat, he had always had a soft spot for them when he was a kid and once he had settled back into the village permanently he had cared for two or three. The animal didn't flinch when he started rubbed near its ears and even began purring when Sasuke scratched under the chin. The standoff had descended into a calm petting session, Sasuke was already thinking about how he could sneak the cat back into the dorms...maybe Sakura would be willing to help?

A bird of some kind had landed farther down the alley, Sasuke hadn't been paying much attention to it. When it took off it hit a bowl set on a windowsill knocking it down to loudly smash on the alley floor. The sudden commotion had Sasuke instinctively stretching out his developing Reiatsu senses. It took a split second to snap his gaze back to the animal, who had also shifted towards the distraction. Without hesitation he attempted to grab the cat by the throat, only for the beast to jump over his head onto the adjacent roof far faster than any feline had the right to. Sasuke quickly put his back to the wall and prepared to make his escape.

'It's well hidden but that thing definitely has reiatsu, and tightly suppressed reiatsu at that.'

"Now, now Uchiha-san. Don't be too hasty." A soft, deep voice made him falter for a second, the cat was smirking...smirking at him. It licked its paw while casually continuing, "We were having such a nice time, you're very good with your hands. How about we pretend this never happened? We can get back to your lovely massage, hmmm?"

A sharpened metal stick nearly impaled the cat, if not for its uncanny reflexes the annoying creature would've got a new piercing. Turning the quick dodge into a prance, the cat made its way along the roof at a leisurely pace.

"I'll say it again Uchiha-san, our relationship was going so well. You looked about 2 seconds away from adopting me and taking me home to your wife."

The cat leapt back moments before Sasuke surged onto the roof, his hand smashed into the roof tiles. More senbon streaked under the sun, cracking tiles as they tried to catch the cat, who was fluttering around the roof like a bird. Sasuke kept silent, focusing on disabling the strange summon (if it was a summon at all).

They were quickly running out of roof, and neither wanted to attract the attention of the crowds on the main street. The cat sent out a subtle pulse of reiatsu and a kido lit up around the roof. A shimmering wall, with mirror like texture formed a box around the duo, in an instant several men and women in black bodysuits surrounded Sasuke. The cat jumped and sat on the shoulder of a woman who was shorter than the others.

"Now look what's happened, I had to get my faithful servants to intervene." The feline's smooth voice was laden with faked regret. Again those yellow eyes that were just too sharp locked with Sasuke's coal gaze, "Now, how about we get a drink?"

/

Sasuke looked across the table with a dead expression. He had a vague hope upon enrolling in the Shin'o Academy that the Gotei 13 would be different from a Shinobi village. At first glance they were extremely similar, both had governments that existed around their armed forces, they both possessed a complex and large bureaucracy, and both were filled with unnaturally strong warriors; by "different" he meant "no insane people". His hopes had been thrashed the moment a cat gave orders to several obvious assassins, brought him to a secluded garden inside a noble's manor, and proceeded to transform into a naked woman. This naked woman was also a Shinigami Captain, a Princess of a noble clan and the head of the Gotei's Black Ops division, she introduced herself as Shihoin Yoruichi.

The feared leader of the Onmitsukido was lounging in front him, a loose robe covering herself, drinking straight from a wine bottle. Others would have been disgusted, maybe scandalized, that such a figure of repute in the Gotei was acting like a hedonistic teenager. Unlike other people, Sasuke accompanied Sakura to many dinners and tea times with Tsunade; a woman who had worn the Hokage hat and had entire chapters dedicated to her accomplishments in Konoha's history books. Sitting across from Yoruichi, it was all too easy to overlay her form with Tsunade's, sitting at a table barely covered, chugging sake and making lewd remarks at Sasuke in between hands of poker.

'I shouldn't have got my hopes up' Sasuke thought, 'She's probably just the start of it.'

With a loud sigh Yoruichi slammed down her bottle, licking her lips and chin to get any wine that had spilled. Her eyes hadn't changed much after turning human, they still held a sharp pupil and a predatory shine, now that it wasn't coming from a small animal it was decidedly more worrying.

"How do you like the academy Uchiha-kun?"

Sasuke mentally ignored the change in honorific, "Interesting. Admittedly it's been decades since I last attended school, but Shin'o seems like a respectable place."

Yoruichi giggled at his non-answer, "Well that's good to know. I never went to the Academy, being the princess and all meant it was private tutors from day one! I'm told the teacher's do a good job, but between you and me" She dramatically looked around the garden (as if there weren't 3 or 4 hidden guards stalking around) "the prodigies everyone talks about don't seem to need that much instruction. The instructors are really there to bring the slow ones up to standards, at least in my opinion."

"Is that why you've brought me here? You want my opinion?"

"You're not wondering if I brought you here for a more nefarious purpose?" Yoruichi's bare leg stretched across the floor while she leaned to the side, allowing her yukata to slide down her shoulder. All in all she could have made the stoic Raikage drool.

"I'm married, quite happily I might add."

"If you're happy," Yoruichi's cat grin hit with full force, her ears even seemed to gain a point, "then why are you doing something so dangerous as spying on the Gotei 13?"

Sasuke reached out and grabbed a peach slice, "My job obviously" he remarked before biting into it.

"Are you just a spy? I can't imagine anyone sending a spy into enemy territory by openly naming them as a diplomat." Yoruichi chewed on her own peach slice, "That leads me to believe either your people don't have many spies, or you're just a very good one."

Sasuke rang the small bell resting on the table, "I just need to clarify, as of right now am I a hostage or a prisoner?" A servant emerged from the manor carrying a fresh pot of tea, he refilled their cups.

"Is the distinction important?" Yoruichi retorted.

Taking his full cup and enjoying a sip, "Unfortunately if I'm a prisoner I'll be forced to try and escape" Sasuke disclosed, "If I'm hostage it means you're open to negotiating my release."

"In that case," Yoruichi clapped her hands, a short shadowy figure appeared next to her, a small scroll and brush in hand, "who can I send my demands to?"

"Naruto would do it, except he might take a liking to her" Sasuke pondered, "Shikamaru would make this all go faster, although she might make Shika her next plaything. Lee and Omoi would be useless, Ce isn't very diplomatic."

Looking up, Sasuke cleared his throat and prayed he was making the right choice.

"Send a message to Uchiha Sakura."

/

Sakura had been enjoying a study break in her dorm. One of her roommates had received some sweets from their sister and was kind enough to share; Sakura didn't mind that the sweets came with the caveat that she give out "womanly advice", as the girls called it. She had been in the middle of explaining how to handle a rejection when a messenger arrived from the Seireitei. Her husband had apparently been invited to a dinner with a member of the Great Noble Shihoin family and her presence was requested. Sakura wasn't pleased at all, Sasuke had obviously gotten into something over his head, Shikamaru's projections hadn't called for significant interaction with any noble families until their final year at the academy.

She gathered her things and made a quick stop at Naruto and Shikamaru's room to let them know where she was going in case one of their contingency plans was needed. Wearing a modest but well made kimono, Sakura followed her escort to one of the Shihoin manors dotted across their lands, this one bordered a small lake and connected to the shore through a large garden. Under one of the large oak trees, a small table had been set up and covered in food and drinks; sitting around it was Sasuke and a gorgeous woman making dangerous eyes at her husband. The woman had deep purple hair and creamy dark skin, her posture and demeanor reminded Sakura of Kakashi, her sensei was always at his most dangerous when completely relaxed.

Sasuke turned to her when she entered the clearing, his face was tense but his body wasn't, this had to be something political; Sasuke had been too young to receive any etiquette or political instruction when his clan died, from then on he hadn't had a need for it, even decades later he acted as a spy and assassin for the Hokage, never a diplomat. Sakura wasn't much better but she at least knew how to deal with other clans, having acted as the defacto Uchiha Clan representative after marrying Sasuke. She took up the responsibility of rebuilding the Uchiha clan's assets with the goal of creating a better future for her children and grandchildren.

Approaching, she greeted their host while bowing, "Shihoin-sama, thank you for your invitation. The Uchiha clan is honoured by your generosity." She sat down giving Sasuke a reassuring pat on the hand.

"The Uchiha clan eh? Well, be welcome at my table Uchiha-san. We were just discussing your husband's...dangerous hobbies."

"And what hobbies are those?"

"Sneaking around restricted areas," Yoruichi begins counting off on her fingers with no hesitation, "stalking Onmitsukido agents, gathering intelligence on our security, making copies of classified documents, and that's just the stuff we know about. He was practically a ghost until my student caught sight of him by accident one evening. One word to Central 46 and Uchiha-san is looking at lifetime imprisonment for espionage and treason."

Sakura had started drinking tea during Yoruichi's explanation, only looking at Sasuke when she mentioned "lifetime" and "imprisonment".

"I'm sure this is all a misunderstanding. Is there anything we can do to clear this up? When I say 'we' I speak for not only the Uchiha Clan but the Shinobi Enclave as a whole. An incident like this would be detrimental to future dealings between our organisations."

Sakura gave her best polite smile that still held an undercurrent of strength to it, as her daughter Sarada once described it, "politeness mixed with the threat of dismemberment."

Yoruichi sat a little straighter and pushed away her empty liquor bottle, "Certainly, the Gotei would lose a very valuable ally if such were the case. Perhaps a more formal alliance will help us clear the air?"

Sakura picked up the teapot and leaned forward, filling Yoruichi's empty cup, "I am relieved to hear that Shihoin-sama. What kind of arrangement did you have in mind?"

"We should begin with something simple. Perhaps an agreement between the Uchiha Clan and mine?"

Sakura's pouring continued smoothly, hiding the trepidation those words instilled in her, this was approaching very dangerous territory. "What exactly could our family offer one of the Great Nobles of the Seireitei?"

"Lots of things! Wealth, tradesman, servants!"

"Shihoin-sama" Sakura interrupted, "I'm sorry to disappoint but at the moment the Uchiha clan consists of myself and Sasuke." She ignored Yoruichi blank stare, "The Uchiha clan was nearly wiped out while Sasuke and I were children and any wealth or resources we had are in the Elemental Nations. I also hope our children won't be joining us anytime soon."

The garden became awkwardly quiet. Yoruichi slumped forward, "I really should've thought this through better huh? Whelp…." she started rubbing the side of her head, a frown growing before she started pouting.

"Kissssuuuukkkkeeeee" The princess' whine was crystal clear and very loud.

It was answered by an irritated man slamming open the door to the manor, "What da ya want Yoruichi? I was tryna sleep!"

The blonde staggered across the lawn before collapsing beside his captain; he was pale and had bags under his eyes, Sakura could smell the liquor on him from across the table. Yoruichi slid a fresh bottle to him, he stared at it before hesitantly picking the bottle up and taking a swig.

"Alright, what's the problem?" Kisuke asked while making unsubtle motions at Sasuke and Sakura.

"I want to be friends with them, but their clan doesn't have anything to give right now."

"They don't got any money or anything?

"No, and if I can't figure out something worthwhile the elders won't agree to it."

The two shinigami were speaking as if the Uchiha's weren't present, which was annoying Sakura as the two were staring at her like some kind of puzzle.

"Oi, Uchiha-san." Kisuke pointed at Sasuke, "You're a ninja right?"

Sasuke gave a short "ah"

"You're pretty good at sneaking around n stuff. Are your kids any good at it? Does it run in the family so to speak?"

"Our daughters both spent time in the Shinobi Black Ops and before we passed on our grandson was being touted as a stealth specialist." Sakura responded firmly, she had an inkling of where the blonde was going with his questions.

"Great!" Kisuke clapped his hands a couple times, "There's yer solution. Have Uchiha-san join the 2nd Division and then make an alliance saying that each Uchiha that becomes a Shinigami must give priority to joining the 2nd division unless they're unsuitable to it; or something like that."

Everyone looked somewhat impressed at Kisuke's quick thinking, which was somewhat difficult since he looked like a body that had been thrown in a river to decompose.

Yoruichi giggled to herself softly, "Oh the elders would like that, a new minor house and experienced soldiers for the Onmitsukido, the fact that you're a shinobi will only make them more interested. You got any problems with that Uchiha-san?" she finished by shoving her now empty bottle in Sakura's direction.

"We'll have to iron out some of the smaller details but as far as plans go, I think that can work Shihoin-dono" Sakura emphasized the suffix of Yoruichi's title while bowing simultaneously with Sasuke.

"Great! This calls for more drinks!"

"Can I go back to bed?"

Sasuke took his wife's hand while the two assassins bickered.

'Naruto said he liked this place, that should have been the first warning sign.' Sasuke reflected, 'Shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.'

/

/

/

"Naruto-senpai!" The student standing outside Naruto's room had rather bland features and didn't stand out in any way. Hearing no response, the boy calmed down and respectfully called out again, "Naruto-senpai!" He swayed slightly before turning away, after a few steps down the hall he heard the shuffle of a door sliding open.

"Maru-san come back!"

Maru spun on his heels and saw the man who had inspired him to go from deadlast to nearly top of his classes. Naruto-senpai towered over most of the other students; while he intimidated some people, you only had to spend a day or an afternoon with him to see past that.

Maru rushed up to the door, quickly bowing, and passed over a bundle of messages. "Just dropping off your mail Naruto-senpai."

Naruto grinned at Maru's eagerness, "Thanks Maru, I forgot to grab them after class yesterday. How's your Hoho coming along?"

Maru gave a short description on his progress, he'd finally managed to cross the courtyard in 2 steps now he was focused on achieving it in 1.

"Good to hear, next time we have a day off you'll have to show me."

"Will do Senpai!"

A loud grumble came from inside Naruto's room, Naruto rolled his eyes, "Sorry Shika. I won't take up anymore of your time Maru, have a good day."

Maru bowed again, then made his way towards his room. He had met Naruto during a free day; he'd been practicing his Hoho in the yard, he was close to flunking his 4th year class and was deathly afraid of being held back. Naruto had seen his troubles and come up, out of the blue, and introduced himself. They spent the entire evening going over the basics of the Flash Step and some other movements. Naruto didn't give him some magic secret that instantly fixed his technique, instead he took the time to look at the problems and create solutions.

At the end of the session Maru still couldn't make it across the yard in less than 8 steps, but he could do it 10. That progress was the important part, Naruto gave him the tools to improve himself. He had another 2 years to go before he graduated, he wasn't a prodigy; Maru was focused though, he wanted to be good enough that once Naruto-senpai chose a squad, Maru would be good enough to follow him there.

He wasn't the only one, there were dozens of students spread across the different years who were all training hard to one day join Naruto's squad. Most of them, Maru included, were convinced it wouldn't be long before Naruto would become a Captain, which meant the fight for his seated positions would be hard. Thinking about his competition, Maru swore he would make it across the yard and back in 1 step by the end of the year.

/

"Love letter," A piece of mail was tossed onto the floor in front of Shikamaru's dozing head, "love letter." and another, "love letter," and another, "Oh hate mail!" and another. Shikamaru was half asleep, coming to Shin'o was like a vacation and a punishment rolled into one. He didn't have to work very hard, the homework was a breeze and the practical lessons were intriguing now that they were taking 5th year classes. Naruto was still popular and gained just as many detractors as admirers, leading to him getting quite a few letters each week. Shikamaru was halfway back to dreamland when Naruto made a sharp "wow."

Shika's eye snapped open, Naruto was holding a small scroll case, it was dark red with silver inlays and bronze caps. His fearless leader was staring at the front of the case with an intense stare. Silently Shika held out his hand and sat up once it was passed over. There was an engraved seal, it was a thick line that zig zagged back in forth before ending in a swirling half circle. Shikamaru had gone to the Academy library and copied down what little information was available about the clans in the Seireitei as soon as they arrived.

"This is from the Shibas."

"This one's from the Kuchiki."

Shikamaru turned back to see Naruto holding up another scroll, this one was made of soft brown wood with white caps; sure enough, carefully painted on a label was the artful hexagon of the Kuchiki, with two wing flowing upwards above a single flower head.

Shikamaru shook his head, "Sasuke slips up once and suddenly it's open season on Shinobi" he said drolly.

"Not just Great Noble Clans either." Naruto sat next to Shika and displayed another scroll, smaller this time, made of animal leather with the emblem of the Kyoraku clan branded on the sides.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru groaned.

Naruto ignored his friends whining and popped open the various scrolls, pulling out the letters and meticulously reading them.

The Shiba and Kuchiki missives were polite, with lots of flowery and political wording. Both were invitations to a meeting with representatives of the respective clans. The reputations of both families was evidently true; the Kuchikis planned to hold a traditional tea ceremony followed by a theatre performance, comparatively the Shibas were having a large family banquet in celebration of one of their owns engagement and were essentially asking Naruto to just "drop by". The Kyoraku's message was actually somewhat deferential, asking the "shinobi diplomats" if they would be open to meeting the clan for introductions and a discussion.

Shikamaru could only take the difference in tone as indicative of their social status, "The Great Noble Clans might have more power than I originally thought, if they feel comfortable enough to invite us to their social events without any kind of personal contact beforehand; they must already have plenty of eyes and ears in the Academy."

"What do you think they'll want?"

"Probably some way of connecting with us, our reputation is spreading" Shikamaru explained, "No thanks to you and your fan club. Most of us have already been labelled as prodigies. Are you still set on graduating in 2 years?"

Naruto was rereading the Kyoraku's missive while answering, "Yes, any longer would be pointless. We're nearly done with our reports on the Academy and anything we miss will be picked up by the next group. I want us to enter the ranks while our names are fresh, y'know, show how badass we really are!" Naruto was laughing at this point, probably imagining how the Shinobi would be taking the Gotei by storm.

"Just be careful, from what Ce and I could discern there hasn't been a major change to the Gotei's nobility in centuries. If you step on their toes, there's no way of knowing what they'll do."

"That's what the Council and the Clan Heads are for. Once Neji, Shino and Konohamaru get here they can help you and Sasuke schmooze with the geezers." Naruto had pulled out his own writing supplies and was penning his replies, "All it'll take is one of us making Captain and then introducing our own Clans into the Seireitei's politics and we'll go from there."

He passed over his response to the Kyoraku for Shikamaru to check then started on the Shiba and Kuchiki ones. Shikamaru took the message and carefully folded it up as he went to through their supplies, pulling out 3 steel tubes with a black metal plate attached to the front.

Shikamaru yelled over his shoulder, "Oi, what symbol should the cases have?"

"The Kyoraku's and the Kuchiki were just asking for any Shinobi, so put the Allied Forces on that one. The Shiba's asked for me specifically so put the Uzumaki one theirs."

Shikamaru agreed and quickly switched out the tube's plate with pre-prepared ones. Returning to their desks, the pair sealed all 3 messages and grabbed their jackets, winter was settling in and it was getting chillier by the day.

The pair made their way across the campus, there were students coming and going, the semester was nearly over and the winter break would last 2 weeks before the school reopened.

"We'll have to send a message to the enclave, let them know we won't be coming back for a visit."

Naruto waved to some classmates across the courtyard they were in, "We should have our families and some of the Clans come to the Seireitei. I'll ask the Shinigami to provide accommodations."

"The Kyorakus are first, then the Kuchiki and the Shiba will be last; who goes where?"

They were waiting in line to leave the Academy grounds, quite a few students and teachers were heading out into the city. They passed their papers over to the guards and were waved through.

"I'll need to be present at all of them, Hinata will accompany me, if only to keep me from dying of boredom!" Naruto joked.

The duo threaded in between the crowds, the light snow giving the white buildings of the Gotei an almost ethereal light. It was moments like this that could easily convince someone they truly were in the Pure Land.

"The Kyorakus are a high-ranking family, they consider themselves to be the Seireitei's foremost experts on sake and liquor." Shika explained, "They deal with lots of luxuries as well; spices, incense, tobacco, they have a handful of retainer clans that are dedicated to each one. The Head family is in an awkward position, their heir died nearly a century ago but their second son, Kyoraku Shunsui, can't take up the role."

Naruto paused as he was looking through a street vendors stock, "Shunsui? Isn't he the Captain of the 8th Division?"

"Yep, rumor has it he's shown no desire to take up the role while his father's still alive. Lord Kyoraku has been trying to have another child but if he passes and Captain Shunsui doesn't want to take up the lordship, it will have to go to a branch family."

"You think this meeting has something to do with that?"

"Maybe. It's not unheard of for Captains to be married and clan responsibilities. Look at the Kuchiki, they've been balancing the two for centuries. They could be looking to try and find a bride for him down the line."

"If that's true, then one of the Kage should come with me, Darui or Mai, they're both experienced when it comes to long-term politics. They'd also be able to get a feel for Shunsui's personality." Naruto decided.

Shikamaru finished paying for a stick of dango, they were almost at the drop off and he hated doing covert missions on an empty stomach.

"With Sasuke being tied to the Shihoin, we'll have to bring another major clan to meet with the Kuchiki."

"The Hyuuga are the obvious choice, but maybe Temari and I should come too." Shikamaru added.

"Flatter them with Hyuuga etiquette and Nara knowledge? Shika you're so fun when you're devious" Naruto chuckled.

They stopped outside of a small boarding house. Walking up, they knocked on the door frame in a small pattern; the house next to them had a second floor and balcony attached, after Shikamaru knocked for the last time, a woman emerged from her room onto the balcony.

Looking down at the duo she smiled and waved, "I'll be right down!", she called out.

"The Shiba's are a wildcard, they handle fireworks mainly but their real strength is in their numbers." Shikamaru informed his friend. "A third of the Kido corps is composed of Shibas and their allies, some of the biggest merchant families in the Seireitei are funded by them, they've also got loyal patrons spread out across the first 15 districts of Rukongai. I wouldn't be surprised if they already knew where the Enclave was."

Naruto didn't seem shocked by the information, he kept on watching the passing crowds, smiling softly at the few children playing in the snow.

"Sounds like my kinda clan. I'll grab Kiba and Hana to represent the Inuzuka, Konohamaru and Kusoharu can bring the Sarutobi into the picture. That should be enough for now."

The door of the boarding house opened, standing behind it was a woman dressed in a simply working dress, her hair tied up under a cloth. She had dark blonde hair with mahogany coloured eyes above a sharp nose and a round jaw. Her most notable features was the burn scar covering her chin.

"Good afternoon Uzumaki-sama, Nara-sama. Would you like some tea?" She asked.

"I'd love some Nakashiro, will Kuroshiro be joining us?"

Nakashiro led the two men into the dining room, a tray of tea already set out.

"Unfortunately she's not due back for another day or two. She had to make a detour on her way to the Enclave, some kind of special request from Tsunade-sama."

"Baa-chan probably just wants some more herb samples. How have you been?" Naruto asked.

Nakashiro and her twin sister Kuroshiro were Suna shinobi who excelled in espionage. They'd risen to be the head of Gaara's intelligence corps by the time they hit jonin at 21. They were nicknamed the Ladies of the Game, people said that if you had something Suna needed to know, you would become a piece on the board for Naka and Kuro to play with until you had no more use.

The group drank tea and made small talk for a while, eventually Shikamaru began writing out the messages for the Shinobi Council, sealing them before handing the information over to Nakashiro. She gracefully accepted them and promised to have them delivered before the winter break began.

Leaving the boarding house, Shikamaru and Naruto turned towards the Gotei barracks. They consulted the map the Shinigami had provided and soon found themselves in front of the 8th Division's home, the Strelitzia symbol marking the entrance.

The guards greeted them, "Good Afternoon, can we help you?"

Naruto gave them a carefree smile, "You sure can!" the guards were a little taken back by his excitement, "I've got a message for Captain Kyoraku that I need to deliver!"

The guards glanced at each other, "We can take the message and ensure it reaches the Captain."

Naruto's smile didn't budge, he did wave his hand though, "I'm sorry but I can't do that. This message was sent by the Kyoraku Clan and my response needs to reach them as quickly as possible, if you could just let your Captain know. I'd be willing to wait."

Both Shinigami were stumped by the answer and tried to be diplomatic, "I understand sir but the Captain is a busy man. I can't bother him for something as mundane as a message." The guard stood a little straighter after responding, confidant in his wording.

"What's too mundane for me?"

The guards froze in place, they didn't even breathe, the two men just turned their heads and standing in between them was a man. He was a tall, light-skinned Shinigami with high cheekbones, grey eyes and long wavy brown hair. His hair was tied in a long ponytail and had long bangs that framed the left side of his face. He also had a noticeable amount of body hair on his chest, feet, and arms. He wore a Sugegasa straw hat and a pink, flowered lady's kimono, which was draped across his shoulders and over his white captain's uniform.

He asked again, in a light carefree tone, "What's too mundane for me eh?"

The Shinigami stuttered out excuses, or tried to, they were cut off when Naruto crossed the distance in a few large strides. He was face to face with Captain Kyoraku who was simply examining him with a curious look, still completely relaxed, he was even slouching a bit.

"Oh? Aren't you that Uzumaki fellow? The one sensei met with?"

Naruto nodded his head, giving the Captain a thorough once over. He wasn't fooled by the laid back demeanor, how could he be? Naruto spent the first years of his ninja career under a cyclops who looked half asleep most of the time.

"You probably don't like pomp and circumstance but I wanna do this right."

Naruto's statement only elicited a couple quick blinks from the Captain. Naruto and Shikamaru, in concert, gave Kyoraku a shallow bow; Naruto then held out the black tube marked with the Kanji for "Shinobi" in both hands. "Captain Kyoraku, as a representative of the Noble Kyoraku Clan, I ask that you accept and share the Shinobi Enclave's response to your Clan's invitation."

Sneaking a peak at the Captain, he didn't seem upset just a touch exhausted. Kyoraku shook his head and stepped forward, matching Naruto's bow he accepted the scroll while responding, "I, Captain Kyoraku, accept your response and shall ensure it reaches the ears of my family."

They both stood up straight and made eye contact, right then Naruto gave a big exhale and started cleaning his ear, "Whew! Man formality is a drag. I get that it's important but it's so tedious sometimes."

Kyoraku was chuckling as Naruto complained, "I know what you mean. Tradition and such are all well and good, but it can make life so boring."

Naruto and Shikamaru nodded along, "Well hopefully we'll see each other soon, I look forward to getting to know you Captain Kyoraku."

Kyoraku returned a nod with a small smile, "I'm looking forward to it as well. Have a good day." Tucking the scroll into his robes, the Captain turned and walked into the 8th division grounds, the two shinigami guards saluting as he did so. When the guards turned back the two shinobi were long gone.

/

Down a few streets, the two men were heading toward the 6th Division barracks. "Two more stops; I hope we make it back before dinner, I'm supposed to go for a drink with Urahara."

"He still annoying you Shika? What's he grilling you on now?"

"He's interested in what kind of technology we used. He seemed really interested in the fact we had radios and computers. Apparently there was a country in the Living World that was really similar to ours at one point, except no chakra."

"Sounds lame. I think he just wants to talk with another super genius."

The 6th Division barracks looked similar to the 8th's; large walls, clean stone and guards at the entrance. The Shinigami at their posts however were very different. The 8th's had been relaxed, somewhat bored and had been talking before the Shinobi had approached, Shikamaru had also noticed some food and drinks stashed beneath a nearby bush. The man and woman standing under the Camelia emblem were silent, unmoving and at attention.

Naruto leaned over, "What was the 6th Division famous for again?"

Shikamaru just sighed, "Being a 'model division' that all Shinigami should look up to. They're strict adherents to the Gotei laws and they don't tolerate rule breakers."

"Nothing new, If they're gonna be sticklers about protocol you should take the lead."

"Alright Hokage-sama." Shikamaru replied, Naruto could hear the smirk in his tone.

Ignoring his adviser's snark, Naruto walked forward while Shika moved to behind his right side. Smoothing out their clothes, the two men adjusted their postures; Naruto drew himself up to his full height and let his smile slide off leaving only a relaxed face, Shikamaru straightened his back but ensured he wasn't as tall as Naruto, he also drew his coat tighter around himself and arranged his face to give him an attentive and calculating air.

A passing Shinigami noticed the two and she nearly tripped when one moment she saw two men casually talking (probably visiting a relative in the Gotei she guessed), the next in their place was clearly a noble with his attendant.

The two 6th Division guards noticed Naruto and Shika's approach and subtly signaled each other, 'Good discipline, they still tensed and changed stances though, so it was noticeable' Shikamaru noted.

Coming to a halt in front of the two, Shikamaru stepped forward, "My name is Nara Shikamaru, Head of the Nara Clan and Envoy of the Shinobi Enclave; this is Uzumaki Naruto, Head of the Uzumaki Clan, Envoy of the Shinobi Enclave, Nanadaime Hokage and Shodai Gokage. We are here to request a meeting with Captain Kuchiki." he announced.

One of the guards stepped forward and accepted the papers signed by the Captain Commander identifying them as diplomats, "Uzumaki-sama, Nara-sama, I must ask for the purpose of your visit. Captain Kuchiki has many duties and may not be available at the moment." She bowed to both men but spoke to Shikamaru.

"The Great Noble Kuchiki Clan extended and invitation to us, we would like to give our reply in person and meet Captain Kuchiki." Shikamaru informed her.

With another small bow, the guard walked into the division and clapped twice. A door inside the courtyard opened and a younger looking shinigami ran up to her, they were out of ear shot but Shikamaru could read her lips easily enough, she sent the runner off to speak with the Lieutenant.

"Would it please you to have wait inside the Division?"

They were led into covered landing inside the compound, not far from the gate; another Shinigami came to offer them tea and sake while they waited. It didn't take long before a man entered their waiting room.

He was young, of average height with shoulder-length black hair, bluish purple eyes, thin eyebrows and light skin. His hair was neatly combed and his bangs pushed from his face. He wore a single ornamental clip on the left side of his head and had a band that read "Fuku-taicho" around his left arm. Overall he looked similar to the other Kuchikis that were attending the Academy alongside the Shinobi.

"Greetings Uzumaki-sama, Nara-sama, I am Kuchiki Sojun, the 6th Division Lieutenant. Please if you'll follow me, my Captain invites you to meet in his office."

Sojun led them through the Division, taking an obvious scenic route. They passed small gardens, courtyards filled by Shinigami training, a mess hall and a busy floor with various officers doing paperwork.

Near the end of the tour, Naruto couldn't stop himself from remarking, "Remindes me of the Allied Headquarters."

"Very much so, but without the Sealing Corps there's a noticeable absence of explosions and mayhem" Shikamaru ribbed.

Sojun showed no reaction to their quick conversation and opened the door to a large office on the third floor of the largest building in the Division. Inside was a small desk, cabinets, windows, various plants, a bookshelf and a number of scrolls hanging on the walls. The scrolls were expertly made and bore masterful writing on them; one seemed to be a poem, another a quote from the Captain Commander, the largest simply said "Law & Duty".

Against the back wall near the windows was a broader desk, on the front was engraved the Camelia of the 6th Division; behind it sat an elderly man with slate gray eyes, a gray mustache, and long gray hair. His captain's haori had short-sleeves and he had fingerless black tekkō that covered the back of his hand and looped up to attach at the base of his fingers along with a pristine white scarf around his neck.

Sojun led Naruto and Shikamaru to the Captain's desk and gave a deep bow while introducing them, he then left the three and returned to his duties for the division. There was a stretch of silence as Naruto and Captain Kuchiki Ginrei examined each other.

Ginrei had several impressions from looking at the supposed "Captain Commander of the Shinobi" as Hiruzen had put it.

'He's not intimidated, doesn't appear to be nervous. The Captain Commander did inform us Uzumaki was an accomplished leader, I'm eager to see his approach to dealing with the Gotei."

Naruto, as always, kept it simple, 'He looks as old as jiji. I have to get Shika to explain the ageing thing to me again. How many years do Shinigami live again? 100? 200? I never went grey or got many wrinkles, am I gonna start looking old?'

Shikamaru could only watch as both leaders got lost in their thoughts, he coughed and the two snapped back to reality.

"Captain Kuchiki, it's an honour to meet you" Shikamaru began.

"A pleasure Nara-san, Uzumaki-san, I've heard a lot about you and the Shinobi in general. I must say I'm surprised you came to deliver the response personally. In Soul Society, such things are usually done through subordinates."

Naruto listened attentively before responding, "Truthfully, there aren't many Shinobi in the Seireitei at the moment so we've been left to fend for ourselves. At the same time I, or one of my shinobi, could soon be under your command, meeting you in person is the least I can do for them."

"You take a very personal approach to your subordinates futures."

"Most of the diplomats and upper echelon of the Shinobi Enclave have been close friends of mine for decades. As Hokage and late Gokage caring for those under me wasn't just a part of my duties, as far as I'm concerned it was my only duty."

Ginrei frowned, "Certainly an interesting and...sentimental approach."

Naruto face tightened ever so slightly, Shikamaru leaned forward before he could respond and placed their scroll onto Ginrei's desk.

"Our response to your Clan's generous invitation. We both look forward to the occasion. We hope we aren't being presumptive to invite our wives to accompany us."

Ginrei examined the scroll and slid it into compartment in his desk while replying. "That's acceptable, before you go I was hoping you could answer a small question of mine?"

"We will answer as well as we can" Shikamaru said.

"You both hold the title of Clan Head, a burden I know well. There isn't a lot of information on the practices and history of Clans in the Elemental Nations. History is very important to the Kuchiki, I was wondering how you're two families gained your titles."

"Perhaps you could enlighten us first," Shikamaru fired back, "I am curious as to how the Kuchiki joined the ranks of the Great Noble Families."

Ginrei remained impassive as he spoke, "Of course. In the days before the establishment of the Gotei 13, my ancestor Kuchiki Ekisho ruled a substantial portion of what is now Rukongai. He was also a scholar and had been collecting knowledge his whole life. When the Soul King charged the Captain Commander with establishing order within Soul Society, Ekisho willingly offered his support. For his actions, the Soul King charged Ekisho with compiling and protecting the history of Soul Society; our official title is Rekishiya, the Historians."

Ginrei motioned for Shikamaru to begin, "The Nara clan came to be when an alliance of smaller Shinobi families, all living in the forests of Fire Country intermarried, the Nara's made their living as medicine men and fur traders. Slowly, as the Warring States Period grew more heated we began offering our services as mercenaries to the Daimyos of Fire Country. My ancestors developed our Clan Jutsu and became feared for our tactics. This drew the attention of Senju Hashirama, the founder of the Hidden Leaf Village. In return for joining the Village, we were offered status and land. Since the birth of Konoha, a Nara has sat on the Village Council."

Shikamaru delivered the speech in his most diplomatic tone, but he couldn't stop the hints of pride from slipping into his speech. Ginrei seemed satisfied with the tidbit of history Shikamaru shared. The two turned to Naruto who was sitting completley still.

Ginrei studied Naruto, before his eyes widened, 'He's not breathing!'. The Captain was about to leap into action when Naruto's eyes slowly opened.

"My apologies, I was thinking about the best way to explain my own family's history."

Ginrei noticed Shikamaru give his commander a solid nod, Ginrei was missing some important context behind Naruto's decision. That context became clear with Naruto's next words.

"What I know about the Uzumaki clan comes from a lot of places. From history books, mentions of them in personal diaries, ancient legends, speculation, but the most clear accounts about my family comes from the ruins of our homeland."

Ginrei respectfully kept his silence.

"The Uzumaki Clan have always been strong, we're descended from one of the first Chakra users, one of the first Shinobi. Before the Warring States Period our Clan had colonised a collection of islands in what became known as The Land of Whirlpools. It wasn't long before they established themselves as a small but powerful force known for massive Chakra reserves and strong lifeforce. The Clan continued this way until the establishment of Konoha by our cousin clan the Senju, when they officially formed their own village, Uzushirogakure. At this point the First Hokage took the Uzumaki heiress as his wife. It became customary for a member of the Uzumaki Clan to become a ward of Konoha as a diplomatic gesture. When Uzumaki Mito was nearing the end of her life, she sent for her successor, my mother."

Naruto, lost in his retelling, slid out of his rigid posture into a more comfortable position; Ginrei was too focused on memorizing the tale to comment on the lack of decorum.

"My mother grew up during the Second Shinobi War, just a few years after she moved to Konoha, two other Hidden Villages conspired to destroy Uzushio. They wanted to prevent them from aiding Konoha in the war. 1000 Shinobi descended on my Clan's home. Through sheer numbers they overwhelmed and laid waste to the Land of Whirlpools. The few survivors were scattered across the continent, almost all of them gave up the name Uzumaki. Within a week, my Clan and all its legacy was lost."

Ginrei could see the sadness in Naruto's eyes, the loss of his family's history and home must have been a hard thing to come to terms with. He had seen similar cases, small clans who managed to anger a larger family and felt the brunt of their displeasure in many ways. The Kuchiki's history was not free of the occasional blood feud or backdoor war. Ginrei himself had watched his father plan the bankruptcy of an upstart clan that dared to insult the Kuchiki.

"I didn't even know I had a clan until I was a teenager, I didn't look into my family's past until I was much older. My efforts paid off though."

Ginrei felt an involuntary spark of hope in his heart, this stranger's story had called up memories of his grandparents and his extended family.

"I was able to find quite a few descendants spread out across the Elemental Nations. While some didn't feel the need to embrace their heritage, many civilian and even a few Shinobi took up the Uzumaki name again. My son and daughter planned on continuing my work, when I finally become a Shinigami I plan on returning and seeing just how much my family has grown!"

Naruto's grin was as infectious as ever, both Shikamaru and Ginrei were sporting smiles of their own.

"Quite a story Uzumaki-san. I'm sure my grandson would enjoy it."

The Captain's office opened, Sojun poked his head through the door and politely informed Ginrei that the Captain's meeting was starting soon.

"We'll have to continue our conversation this winter, I look forward to it." Ginrei said as he walked his visitors out of his office.

"We appreciate your hospitality Captain Kuchiki, we'd like to ask a favour of you." Shikamaru pulled one more scroll case out and presented it to Ginrei, "Please pass this message on to Captain Shiba, since he'll be attending an important meeting we won't take up any of his time today."

Ginrei accepted it and ensured he would. He and Sojun walked back to his office after bidding the Shinobi farewell.

"What do you think of them Father? Our cousin's in the Academy seem to think they're all prodigies and we should do all we can to show them the benefits of becoming our allies" Sojun chuckled, "I think they've been charmed by the Shinobi."

"I can see how. Uzumaki-san is a natural leader and his adviser had the look of a strategist. I'll have to meet with the Elders, see if I can convince them to be more open to dealing with the Shinobi."

Sojun then coughed into his hand and leaned against the wall for support, Ginrei rushed to steady him.

"They have many secrets, maybe one of them will be able to help you Sojun."

/

/

/

 **A/N: Long Chapter! Thanks for your support and reviews, we're finally gonna be focusing on Naruto more! The next couple chapters are gonna cover the Shinobi's final year at the Academy and their initiation into the Gotei. That will be the end of the First Arc. Let me know what you think, and tell me what Shinobi Clan you think would do really well in the Gotei!**


	8. Winter Poetry

"Naruto! Shikamaru and Temari are here."

"Be right down!"

Hinata turned back to her friends, she rolled her eyes in tune with them as they moved to wait in a side room. The Shinigami had offered the use of a small estate owned by the Captain Commander situated near the First Division. It had three small houses, Hinata had been told it was meant to accommodate nobles who needed the personal protection of the Gotei.

"What do you think of the Seireitei Hinata?"

"It's very beautiful, but other than the architecture it's not that different from the Capital City back in Fire Country. Merchants yell, beggars steal-"

"And idiots gawk." Temari finished.

"Temari!" Hinata admonished, she felt it was her responsible to keep up the illusion of politeness among her friends, Shika and Naruto certainly weren't going to.

Temari wasn't wrong, Hinata tended to receive looks wherever she went even more so among nobility. Like most of the Shinobi her spirit form resembled her not at her time of death but instead in the prime of her life. While she had no wish to look like she had after years in a sickbed, she enjoyed the lack of attention she had garnered as she grew older. Now back to looking like the strong jonin kunoichi, the stares of various noblemen and Shinigami were a constant annoyance.

All three of them heard Naruto stomping through the house, he came into the side room fully dressed in a very nice kimono. Hinata walked over to him.

Naruto gave her an ear to ear smile, "How do I look? Think our hosts will approve?"

Hinata chuckled while straightening his belt and necklace. She gave her husband a final once over and then leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"It might fool them, if you're careful."

The group made their way outside, all smiles and soft laughter. Shikamaru and Temari were adorned in classic Nara colours, soft greens and pale browns; Temari's hair had been pulled into two ponytails running down the back of her head, Shikamaru had his typical hairstyle but had been convinced to shave off his goatee.

The Uzumaki's were decked in dark blue and black; Hinata sported hints of opal white in her makeup and accessories, while Naruto was honoring his predecessor Mito by tying his hair in a high tail with a ceremonial seal tag hanging from it. If one looked close enough, they could spy Naruto's orange bracelet, a gift from Hinata for their anniversary.

Waiting for them in the courtyard was a pale man in intricate violet robes, long hair stretching down his back with a women in similar dress beside him. The two were involved in a deep conversation and ignored the other's approach.

Naruto announced his presence in typical fashion, "NEJI!"

Hinata's cousin, the war-hero many young Hyuuga had grown up hearing stories about, was nearly bowled over by Naruto's bear hug. Hinata's quick intervention kept him from messing up their outfits too much.

Naruto had reunited with Neji after arriving at the Shinobi Enclave, Hinata had left the two alone to catch up and when they emerged she was never mentioned the redness of Naruto's eyes or the tear stains on Neji's shoulder.

"Naruto, Hinata, Temari, Shikamaru." Neji greeted them in turn, standing behind him was a beautiful woman with fair skin, her auburn hair sharply contrasted with startling green makeup. Neji beckoned her over and she walked up without hesitation.

"Naruto, this is my fiance Terumi Mao."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you Gokage-sama." Mao had bowed her head to Naruto and though she seemed collected it was clear that she was going to treat him as her former leader.

Naruto was willing to let her ease into the idea of having an informal, soon enough familial relationship, with him, not everyone could instantly accept a larger than life figure as a friend. At the same time, if Mei found out he was hassaling her granddaughter he'd likely wake up missing something important, better to just play it safe.

"Let's not keep the noble Kuchiki waiting!"

/

They'd arrived to a spectacularly formal greeting. Ten immaculately dressed servants ushered them in through the prim and perfect gardens at the Kuchiki Manor while guards dressed in purple shinobi-like uniforms were set around the property watching their procession. The snow and flowers mixed so well Hinata thought she was looking at a painting.

They were brought to a spectacular dining room with open doors looking out across the nearby lake. Their hosts greeted them there; Captain Ginrei, his wife Ikuyo, Sojun, and Sojun's wife Suzuya. They exchanged pleasantries and introductions, Naruto made sure to remember any differences between the Elemental Nations and the Shinigami's formal practices. Conversation came easily, Hinata and Neji had been brought up among very strict nobility while Shikamaru and Temari were career diplomats.

Naruto just sat back and enjoyed the food, letting the voices of his friends and family fill the air. Like the old man he really was, Naruto's mind began to wander. The sound of cutlery and quiet conversation drew him back to days spent in his Hokage office, talking and reminiscing with his peers. Many of his generation didn't make it as long as he and the rest of the Konoha 11 did, very few of the Genin who graduated a year or two before and after him made it past their 40s. Even the Konoha 11 wasn't untouched, Kiba and Shino died in a last minute mission to rescue a Hunter-Tracker unit, Chouji had fallen defending his Genin Team from a group of Bloodline collectors. Their death had hit the village hard, Hinata especially.

Naruto tried to remember each funeral he'd presided over, the notion that every body laid to rest was as devastating to one of his villagers as the Third Hokage's had been to him motivated that commitment. The worst ceremonies had always been the young ones, Genin teams or newly promoted Chunin. Having to face not only their parents but their teammates brought the heaviness of the Hokage Hat to the forefront of his mind. In those times he often visited the graves of his own precious people in search of solace. He'd had Jiraiya's grave moved next to Tsunade's, Jiji and Kakashi sat beside his parents in the Kage shrine. Naruto supposed his headstone now sat in that sacred place, for some reason he had trouble picturing it.

A pinch made him suck in a breath, looking down he saw the back of his hand had turned red and a wrinkled finger pulling back. He realized Kuchiki Ikuyo was sitting beside him. She wasn't very striking at first glance, up close though Naruto could discern the features hidden by age and stress. She had a strong jaw below her hawkish nose, her eyes were quite tight but retained a grey shine to them, her hair was so light it was almost silver and had been carefully put into an elegant bun.

"Uzumaki-san, forgive me but you looked lost in your memories."

"Hehe, I guess so. I'm too used to being an elder I think!" His joke didn't crack her composure.

Lady Ikuyo observed the rest of the room, Naruto saw her look to Hinata. "Your wife is quite beautiful Uzumaki-san."

"Thank you Kuchiki-san, she's very important to me."

They both took a second to watch Hinata speak with Suzuya, Naruto overheard that she and Sojun both recently celebrated their 105th birthday, while she was old by Shinobi standards in the eyes of the Shinigami the two Kuchiki were just out of childhood. Hinata had engaged the young woman, probably seeing parts of her younger self in the girl.

"Do you have any children? Ginrei told me you Shinobi marry quite young."

"Two, a son and daughter. When I passed on, they both had kids of their own already."

"It is so easy to forget how fast the lives of Humans pass by. To be so young and already have grandchildren."

"Many of my people are curious about raising children here in Soul Society. Neji and Mao are to be married soon and there are more than a few couples who have reunited after passing on."

Ikuyo adopted a small frown, "It is not easy, both souls must have a high enough level of excess reiatsu, for most couples it takes decades of careful preparation and multiple attempts to finally be granted such a blessing."

"You must be very proud of your son then, he's already a fully fledged lieutenant."

Sojun was explaining some of the Kuchiki's customs with Neji and Tenten. Naruto did notice that every couple minutes the Kuchiki heir had to take a moment to calm a trembling in his hands.

"I am, though the life of a shinigami is not a safe one. I still remember my time in the 6th Division and many of my comrades did not come home."

Naruto cautiously rested a palm on her hands, which had tensed together into a fist. Ikuyo looked at him, still guarded. Naruto felt he had a better understanding of the Kuchiki Matriarch now, she wasn't just a wizened old woman, she was a soldier who now had to watch as her only son continued the fight.

"The only thing we can do is accept when they come home, give them whatever comfort we can. The young must sometimes be reminded that there is more to life than seeking death."

Ikuyo looked once more at her son, then opened her hands and engulfed Naruto's. Her face never changed, the steel in her spine didn't melt, but she tightened her fingers with his and they enjoyed the warmth a room full of living people offered.

Off to the side Shikamaru and Ginrei were finishing up a game of Shogi, the game hadn't lasted long but Shika hadn't seemed bored. He sat beside Temari and whispered to her.

Ginrei was speaking to a servant, he sent them off and clapped drawing his guests attention, "If you will all follow me into the garden, the performance can begin shortly."

Set up just past the porch was a raised wooden platform, framing it were large blinders, lanterns lit the grounds and servants were milling around setting up blankets for sitting. The sun had fully dipped below the horizon; each couple had their own place and cups of sake and tea were served.

Temari called out to Sojun, who'd taken a seat beside the Naras, "Sojun-san, I'm quite curious about the show. In the Elemental Nations stage performances were very different between nations."

"I believe my father hired one of the Noh troupes we sponsor." Sojun helped Suzuya settle at his side, "What kind of theatre are you used to Temari-san?"

"In my home, Wind Country, puppetry is the most popular type."

Suzuya joined the conversation at this point, "Puppets? The performances must have been quite small."

Temari surprised the young couple with an outburst of giggles, "I'm sorry for laughing, but you'd never say that if you saw a proper Suna Puppet show."

Shikamaru was smiling as well, "The largest one I ever saw belonged to Temari's nephew, Kanzaburo, his largest puppet was nearly 6 stories tall."

Sojun and Suzuya's eyes were wider than their cup saucers.

On the opposite side of the deck, Hinata and Naruto were being entertained by Ichuyo. Hinata was very curious about her experiences as a Shinigami.

"What rank did you hold before your retirement?"

"I held the 6th Division 5th Seat for a most of my career."

"Very impressive."

"Thank you. Once I became pregnant with Sojun I retired to run the household and oversee the Kuchiki Clan."

"I remember my own retirement from active duty, it was only once my youngest daughter started her training that I started to get restless."

"Hmmm" Ichuyo nodded along, "Yes, I mostly ensured the Kuchiki scribes were working well and that our various business ventures ran smoothly. It turned out the only thing that carried over from my time in the Gotei were my paperwork skills."

"In the Hyuuga Clan, the next Head begins their duties only once the previous Head is incapable of doing so, is it the same in the Kuchiki?"

"Once Suzuya married Sojun, I took her under my wing and began preparing her. After the birth of her first child she will be expected to oversee the Clan and I will take up a large role in raising my grandchild." From Ichuyo's smile she was looking forward to the happy day.

"Trust me Ichuyo," Naruto chimed in, "just one grandchild will have you running around like a chicken without a head."

Nearest to the stage Neji and Mao were sharing some sake with Ginrei.

"Do either of you plan on entering the Academy in the future?" The Captain inquired.

"We both have duties to our Clans in the Enclave, perhaps in the future, for now there are others more eager to learn your ways." Mao diplomatically replied.

"I know several Hyuuga who are looking forward to entering the Academy." Neji nodded along.

"As I understand from Uzumaki-san, Neji-san, you were quite instrumental in the establishment of the Shinobi Enclave."

"Instrumental is quite an overstatement I believe."

"Then how would you describe it?"

"I was one of many casualties in the Fourth Shinobi War, once enough of us had fully crossed over and been introduced to the Seireitei there was… uncertainty."

The rest of the audience had turned to listen as Neji spoke.

"We had left our friends and family behind to fight a war. More and more Shinobi arrived each day and many of us were afraid to see our comrades walk out of the Seireitei." Neji shifted closer to Mao, "We were tired of waiting and chose instead to seek out other Shinobi, who by that point had scattered to the corners of Rukongai."

Ichuyo stood and took a place beside her husband, "Why seek them out? You'd been warned about the dangers in outer districts."

"To most of us, the smallest chance of finding lost friends was too good to pass up. I knew that my father had passed on before any Shinigami visited Konoha but there were more than enough Hyuuga out there to make it worth the risk. Eventually, I found myself leading a mixture of Hyuuga and other Konoha ninjas. We came across other groups similar to ours and instead of fighting, those of us who lived during the Fourth War negotiated peace. From that point we settled in small communities spread out across the Rukongai until the Kage began arriving, from there the Enclave was born."

"I honestly hope one day the Kuchiki will have the privilege of recording the Enclave's history."

"Your words are humbling Ginrei-sama." Mao and Neji thanked him.

A soft drum beat disturbed the clearing, bodies were moving behind the blinders next to the stage and the servants had returned to the manor leaving everyone to focus.

Four musicians sat along the back of the stage, they began playing a fairly simplistic and slow tune. Aman walked onto the stage, he wore a threadbare white robe and over his face rested a black mask. He began to cry out, despairing over his death in a great battle. The performer used very archaic words and phrases, nevertheless his wails were poetic.

As the music settled down, the dancer's head looked up to the sky, from Naruto's perspective the mask showed a simplistic face wracked with sorrow. The performance began with the Soul wandering about, no clear purpose or even sense of direction. The drum beat and lone flute turned something in Naruto's throat.

With no warning all three drums switched to a deep and steady rhythm. Out of the wings glided a woman with a deep red robe complimented by a pearl white mask, she looked straight on and her mask showed a mouth of fangs and eyes alight. Her screams of anger frightened the Soul into hiding, from a hidden place he and the audience heard the woman lament against the injustice of her brother, who'd challenged her to a duel then after her defeat he declared no other soul would ever hear her voice again.

The rest of the play had the Wandering Soul follow the Silenced Lady until she caught him, she was ready to kill him, until the moment she realized he could hear her. The pair traveled together and defended each other from hollows and bandits. The conclusion of the first act had the duo deciding to return to the Lady's home and confront her brother, defeat him, and remove the curse.

Once they arrived at the Lady's home, the Wandering Soul saw that it was a huge palace shrouded in the sky and guarded by great spirits of Earth, Air and Water. The Wandering Soul looked to his companion and she revealed that she was in fact one of the Soul King's Guardians, she was a great spirit of Fire. The actress pulled at the front of her robe and a large section of it came loose, she pulled it over her face and across her shoulder. When her costume settled it was no longer a well-made solid red but opened to reveal a mixture of reds and yellows of striking contrasts, trailing down her back was an orange trail and her mask had been replaced. Instead of vicious teeth there was a grim line and the eyes no longer burned with passion but held a grim determination.

"My brother's see weakness in my heart, the loss was mine for I am flawed, I am too reckless, too wild and cannot guard His Majesty. With you by my side I will regain my place beside my brother's."

The Wandering Soul gave her one last word of encouragement and ran to safety with nothing but his blade. Earlier in their travels they had found a sword discarded in a river, it was rusted and old but better than nothing, the Soul had picked it up and sharpened it as best he could. Laying in the shadows, the Soul watched as the Guardians descended from the palace and surrounded their sister. They called out to her, insulted her, called her honour into question; faced with all 3 of her kin the Lady of Fire lost her courage and began weeping. Incensed, the Soul stood from his hiding spot and brandished his crumbling blade. He leapt between the Lady and her brothers.

"Fall before me twisted men, to throw poison at this precious treasure, what crime does she bear? Name it and I will strike it from her body!"

The brothers were outraged at the Soul's audacity, the Guardian of Water stepped forward and raised his trident with blue cloth streaming from the tips dramatically he stabbed at the Wanderer. The Soul valiantly blocked; while all expected his brittle arm to shatter, instead at the point of contact great white streamers were thrown out, when they pulled back the Guardian of Water's blue robe was now covered in a white and he stumbled to the ground. Unable to believe their eyes, the Guardians of Earth and Air leapt over their brother. The Guardian of Earth's Hammer met a similar fate, his gold and silver robe was covered in brown as he melded into the ground.

Standing alone, the Guardian of Air tightened his grip on his spear before calling out in confusion. "What have you done Wanderer? Have you stolen their hearts? I vow, for this crime you will answer to the King himself!"

"No Brother!" The Lady of Fire stood, a hand on the Wanderer's shoulder, "He has defeated them because within his blade lies my fire."

The music swelled, unintimidated the last Guardian rocketed forward, Naruto heard a loud click and the front of the stage slid open, he glimpsed some spouts hidden in the floor before a wall of flame encompassed the scene. He felt Hinata tense and noticed her mouth opening in his peripheral, he had to admit the showmanship was impressive, the last thing he expected from the traditional looking tale was pyrotechnics. A second blast of flame bathed the garden in warm light then retreated back into the floor.

Standing alone on-stage was the Wandering Soul. His plain mask and white robes had been replaced; he now wore a proper Shihakushō, his mask split down the middle, half black and half white. Noticeably,the black side bore female features. In the Shinigami's hand, Naruto's started to decipher the story's true meaning, was the same brittle sword except now adorned with flowing red streamers that bended in the breeze. At his feet lay all 3 Guardians and the performance ended.

Naruto and Hinata burst into loud applause, the other audience members followed. They retreated back into the dining room for some desert.

"I'm curious about the origin of the performance Ginrei-san." Shika asked.

"It's a traditional myth." Ginrei explained, "when the Captain-Commander and his peers first began hunting hollows no one knew what to think of them. Naturally, legends and stories about them sprang up and were told over and over. This specific one was recorded by my ancestors and titled 'The Reaper Who Wed Fire" and later on it was rewritten into poetry, now it's one of the most popular plays in Soul Society."

"People back then thought the Captain-Commander had somehow gained the favour of the element of fire? Why didn't they just assume he knew some secret kido?"

"Shikamaru-san," Ginrei's face was as serious as stone, "if you ever witness the Captain-Commander's Shikai, you will never wonder why those people thought he wielded the power of a godly being."

The night came to a close soon after. Everyone gave their goodbyes, Neji and Mao received an invitation to return the following week. They, Sojun and Suzuya had became fast friends and were eager to see eachother again. Naruto thought it might have to do with both couples being relatively "young".

As Naruto and Hinata bid their dues to Ginrei and Ichuya, the Kuchiki mother inquired about the rest of their plans for the season.

"We've been invited to the Shiba's." Hinata supplied.

Ichuyo took Hinata's hand and gave it a commiserating pat, "Make sure you rest up and don't wear anything that can't be replaced."

Left with that morsel of advice, Hinata and Naruto returned to the guest house both dreading but excited to see just what the Shiba's had in store for them.

/

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/

 **A/N: Not a super long one, but my University classes are taking up most of my time lately. Next chapter will probably move a bit quicker but something about the stage performance just grabbed my imagination.**


	9. Tale of the Monkey Queen

"Alright let's go over the ground rules one more time."

Hinata had a sweet smile, she stood before the party-goers playing with a fan in her hands occasionally smacking it into her palm.

She pointed the fan at Hana who responded on command, "No matter how they act, the Shiba's are still a Great Noble Clan, watch how you act."

Hinata nodded and swung around to Konohamaru, he replied like a good little student, "Keep the fighting and property damage to a minimum."

The fan was pushed into Kiba's face, who answered with a frown, "No matter how much you drink don't reveal state secrets."

Mrs. Uzumaki motioned to the young woman with a blue scarf and a tattoo on her neck of the Sarutobi clan symbol, Konoharu rolled her eyes while reciting, "If you break any laws come find Hinata-obasan or Naruto-jisan"

With a final swing, Naruto was in Hinata's crosshair, "And what is your special rule dear?"

With a put out sigh, Naruto pouted at his wife, "Don't drink all their alcohol just to prove I can."

He received a tap on the head, "Naruto we don't need a repeat of the Fire Festival do we? The last thing we need is the Shiba Heads getting alcohol poisoning like the Fire Damiyo did."

Naruto clasped his fist over his heart, "I swear Hinata-sama I'll be on my best behaviour."

Kiba jumped to his feet, "Alright, alright, alright, let's get going, if we're not quick the Shinigami might drink all the good stuff."

/

The casually dressed ambassadors left their guest houses and began making their way to the Shiba compound. They heard the party before they saw it; as they turned onto the last street before the compound proper, Naruto could barely feel the vibration of all the people nearby.

Naruto was pleasantly surprised when his heightened senses slowly returned after his Konso; Kurama had, regrettably, been fully absorbed into his body sometime in his mid 40s tying the Biju's chakra to his own permanently and infusing his body with some natural improvements.

Naruto guessed there was around 100 people inside the Shiba compound, he could hear laughter and music through the nearby walls. Sure enough, lights and decorations covered the Shiba walls and standing at their gate was a crowd of 5 or 6 guards in Shiba clothing, a mixture of skirts, baggy pants, vests and coats **[A/N Think Ganju and Kukaku]** , differently styled haircuts and various sheathed blades. The common thread between all of them was the Shiba clan symbol stitched, tattooed or accessorized somewhere on them.

The "guards" were passing sake and ale between them, Naruto was ready to get their attention when he noticed a couple of them subtly focused on him. With no break in the conversation a guard told some kind of joke that had the whole group in stitches, they were laughing so hard they spread out and by pure coincidence stumbled into an air tight formation. The woman who told the joke had meandered over to lean against the shut gate and was now looking at the Shinobi with interest.

Naruto wrapped his arm around Hinata and kissed her head, "Why don't you get us past the door?"

"Why Naruto, is my husband afraid of the scary Shiba guard?"

"Maybe I just know you can charm everyone in sight?"

A young Hinata would have blushed like a tomato, present Hinata had lived and loved Naruto for nearly 50 years (she only blushed a little). Taking Naruto by the hand and speeding up to the front of the group she got to a polite distance from the guard.

"Good evening Miss, we're here on the invitation of Shiba Sokudan." Hinata looked down and handed over their invitation, when the woman didn't react she looked closer; seeing the light reddening of the girl's ears Hinata realized the woman was staring at Hana!

She pressed the invitation into her outstretched hand, snapping the guard out of her daze. "It would be very helpful if you let Shiba-sama know the Shinobi delegates have arrived."

"Of course my Lady, if you'll wait a moment."

The Shinobi made small talk with the guards left behind, most of them were from merchant families loyal to the Shibas. None of them were Shinigami but their families had had enough reiatsu to strengthen themselves and learn certain variants of kido.

A servant arrived to guide them through the compound. One huge manor acted as the center of the grounds and radiating outwards was a true spectacle. Covering the lawns were small gazebos, trays of food, small stages used by musicians or dancers, and flowing between all of this were hundreds of people. Old men, young children, the grounds were packed!

They were led through the revelry toward the main manor, set out in front of its doors were a number of round tables. The people sitting around these ones were not being hassled and dressed in somewhat finer clothes, the Shiba symbol produly covering their backs. Contrary to their night at the Kuchiki's, an intimate carefully prepared dinner, the Shiba's table was chaotic, laughing and yelling drowned out everything else while drinks and treats were passed around.

A servant knelt down next to an older man with a young child in his lap, presumably Shiba Sokudan, who informed him of their presence. Word of mouth had painted the Shiba as the most carefree and relaxed of the Five Great Noble Clans, Sokudan proved the rumors true; instead of stiffening, berating his family for acting so "improper" in front of guests, the man whispered to the boy in his arms and made motions for some seats to be cleared at the table. The child, he looked about 5 or 6, had a mess of black hair and shared a lot of features with both Sokudan and others seated at the table. He stood up from Sokudan's lap declared something and made a running dash for the Shinobi.

"Someone's on a mission."

Kiba was spot on, the miniature messenger ran straight up to the Shinobi, faltering a bit when he entered Naruto's shadow. Not caring what others might think, Naruto kneeled and gave the boy a serious look.

Like he hoped, the kid met his stare and said in an adorable voice, "Shinobi-san, my Dad would like to offer you a seat and some dinner."

"We would be honoured to break bread with the Shiba. May I know your name, brave messenger?"

"Shiba Kaien!" Kaien's chest was pushed out and his spine added barely an extra inch but it made Naruto smile.

"Lead the way Kaien-sama."

Kaien led the Shinobi back to the table, the seats nearest to Sokudan were vacant except for one to his right, which Kaien claimed, and the two on his left, where his wife and another Shiba remained.

"Shinobi! Sit, please sit!" Sokudan had an energetic voice, excited and lacking the grit most older men gained. "Let me introduce my beautiful wife Utsuku, you've already met my son Kaien and this is my cousin Isshin."

Naruto gave a nod to the Captain of the 10th Division, who seemed content to just watch and drink while making funny faces at Kaien.

"We were honoured by your invitation Shiba-san"

"Sukodan please."

"Then call me Naruto, this is my wife Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, his sister, the Head of the Inuzuka Clan, Hana; beside Captain Isshin is Sarutobi Konohamaru, the Sarutobi Clan Head, and his daughter Konoharu. As I understand it, these are your lands Captain Shiba?"

"You're correct Uzumaki-san. I'm the Head of a Shiba branch family. Historically, our line have served as Shinigami, this place is where we stay to better accommodate our duties."

"Well it's certainly a beautiful place to rest."

Sokudan pointed out a few more Shibas while fresh servings were brought out by the servants. They all made small talk; some Shiba brought up his dogs and that set the Inuzukas off, Naruto and Hinata were discussing the upcoming graduation with Isshin, Sokudan and Utsuku, meanwhile the Sarutobis were content with watching some dancers on a nearby stage. Kaien split his attention between all 3 groups, he was especially drawn toward Konoharu.

"Were you really a ninja?"

Konoharu saw no harm with indulging the boy, "I was really a ninja. A good one too in my opinion."

"Isshin-jisan says that Shinobi are really great fighters, better than a lot of Shinigami!"

"Did he?" More than her gaze settled on the Captain in their midst, said Captain laughed and stuffed some food into his mouth to avoid answering.

Turning back to her new friend, "I specialized in Bo-jutsu and dabbled in Sealing."

Kaien scrunched up in thought, "Bo-jutsu? Do you mean those big sticks people use to practice balance?"

Konohamaru got a poke in the side for laughing, his daughter ignored him.

"When I was growing up people said the same thing, then I beat them into the ground and they stopped saying it."

"Were you really strong?"

Konoharu was drowned out by both her father and favourite uncle dropping down in front of Kaien with huge smiles, "Strong?" they said in unison.

"Hinata-bachan!"

"Don't be a spoil sport Haru-chan, you're family is just proud of you."

Konoharu's pleas to her aunt got her nowhere and only distracted her while Naruto bribed some musicians to start playing for him. The clattering and drum hits brought everyone's attention to the nearest stage. Kneeling on the stage away from the Head's table, sat her father and uncle. Konoharu knew what was coming and snagged a cup of sake to give her strength. Kaien settled by her side absolutely focused on the stage.

Waiting for the start of their ridiculous routine, inspired by the famed introductions of Jiraiya the Toad Sage, Konoharu let her annoyance fade. "The Sage's Dance", as the people of Konoha had called it, was a long standing tradition for gatherings both Naruto and Konohamaru attended. Weddings, birthdays, festivals all featured them, with younger men and women even learning and performing it on their own; after Naruto's death her father refused to do the dance again. Watching as Konohamaru locked arms with his mentor and brother while doing extravagant hand motions settled something in her heart.

The Sarutobi's time in Soul Society had been a mixed bag, reuniting with her father, learning that she would eventually meet both her Great-Uncle and Great-Grandfather, and seeing most of her extended family was wonderful. Being told that her mother hadn't had enough chakra to cross into Soul Society had broken her heart along with her father's.

/

"Gather round good folk, for the Monkey and the Maelstrom have a tale to tell!"

The two men's voices were alive with energy, Konohamaru's face was alive in a way that had been seldom seen in recent years. To see her father acting like a young man again was worth the embarrassment of what was coming next.

"Of a young warrior, the Daughter of the Monkey and the favoured niece of the Maelstrom and his Moon."

Naruto and Konohamaru were speaking in turn while slowly walking along the stage edge.

"In the Village Hidden by the Leaves, she learned how to fight and be strong."

They were back to back with each other, a large crowd was now seated around the stage.

"Despite her expertise, she lacked experienced. Faster than her father would have liked, the Fire Shadow could no longer keep her from danger."

Backflips and loud bangs book ended their introduction. From off-stage her father grabbed a broom, while her uncle borrowed a stool to stand on.

"Accompanied by a Butterfly and a Seer, the Monkey's Daughter was dispatched to hunt down the Rat Lord, a monster that had plagued the Land of Rice."

Konohamaru began an impressive mime of running and jumping, putting in the occasional fancy acrobatics.

"Arriving in the Land of Rice, she found the Rat Lord had laid waste to the household of the Rice Lord. Her team were immediately attacked by the Rat Lord's ninja."

Konohamaru ran through one of the Bo-kata's he'd taught his daughter, this one contained lots of large swinging movements and fast spins, the crowd applauded.

"In the fighting, both the Butterfly and Seer were injured and fell unconscious. That was when the Rat Lord chose to appear."

Konohamaru fell to his knees and exaggerated his breathing and looking to his back he put on a face of desperation and determination. Naruto jumped from his stool, much higher than many people expected and appeared to land a kick, sending Konohamaru flying back. Many of the children watching gasped, some even booed.

"Hardening her heart, she settled her blood and swore that she would leave the battlefield that day victorious, if only so her friends could make it home safely."

Uncle Naruto then produced a _kunai_ of all things and the two both settled into stances; the emergence of live steel caused the entire crowd to tense and watch carefully as the two men circled each other, serious as stone.

They made a few grand passes, imitating a clash and coming out the other side unharmed. Konoharu saw her Uncle and Father wink at each other, she quickly leaned over to Kaien, "Watch closely." Kaien frowned at her but zeroed in on the stage nonetheless.

The musicians were skilled, they kept their instruments in tune with the movement on stage, with the a flute note stretching out, a smash of wood blocks and a loud, guttural, cry, the two men she admired most leapt at each other.

"Woooooaaaahhhh" Kaien was enthralled, even leaning onto Konoharu's lap to get just a tiny bit closer.

Naruto always maintained that when you fought in a Sage's Dance it should either be a carefully choreographed or a true spar (with minimal blood). Having written the story as a present for Konoharu's 20th birthday, her family had ensured ensured the dance was an elegant fight that drew on the Sarutobi Bo style and Naruto using a frantic kunai-based taijutsu.

They flew threw the steps; Naruto rushed in close, got a foot in and tripped Konohamaru, both going down in a pile before being separated by a rolling toss. Using the Bo staff Konohamaru knocked Naruto off balance with quick hits to the knees and elbows, causing Naruto to drop and have to catch his kunai in an impressive show of hand eye coordination.

They broke apart after landing simultaneous punches, spinning away in a flourish.

"Tired and at her limits, the young daughter resolved to waste no more time and finish her battle, for good or ill."

With a cry Naruto ran forward, pulling a second knife from his belt. Proving their clan name true, Konohamaru put his staff into the ground, actually cracking the stage. He vaulted himself up into the air handstanding on the staff. Quick as a chimp when Naruto came into arms length, his old student used all his weight and gravity to swing the staff around him in mid air, smashing into Naruto's hasty guard.

The kunai went flying and "The Rat King" was sent to the floor, he tried to stand up but in the end collapsed. The music that had paused for the climax of the fight came back as a victorious bellow that prompted the entire crowd to cheer!

Kaien was on his feet, crowing with the rest of them. The cries descended to clapping and Naruto stood and the two men went back to back again.

"The Young Monkey left victorious, the Rat Lord was cast down and peace came to the Land of Rice."

They pushed their palms out, the opposite hand resting over their heads.

"Upon her return her return, the Fire Shadow gave her the reward of a beautiful black Bo Staff."

Hopping on one foot looking absolutely ridiculous the men struck one final pose and declared in their most grand tones, "It was that day she gained the title… THE LEAF'S MONKEY QUEEN!"

Konoharu couldn't even hear herself think over the roars of approval. Her heroes thanked the musicians,slipped them some money and slowly waded through the crowd. She turned back to see all the Shibas laughing and smiling.

/

Konoharu stood and ran up to embrace the men, giving both kisses on the cheek.

"You two will never cease to embarass me."

"If your father and I stop embarrassing you then we've either gone senile or forgotten who you are."

They all sat, Kaien and Sokudan both eager to ask question, the Shiba heir quicker on the draw.

"Konoharu is that story true?!"

"Yes Kaien," she confirmed, "it's a little exaggerated, but the story is about one of my first missions as a jonin, a senior ninja."

"Exaggerated?"

"What my daughter means, is that her fight with the Rat Lord lasted a full day! She also protected her teammates from his ninja."

"Why were you called the Monkey Queen?"

"It's because the Monkey King proclaimed I was the greatest summoner since my Great-Grandfather."

Sokudan leaned forward then, "Monkey King? Was he some sort of samurai lord?"

Many of the Shinigami looked confused as well, the Shinobi seemed unsure of how to answer.

"Has Captain Isshin not informed the Shinigami about the Summon Clans?"

The Captain in question somewhat nervous, "The Summon Clans… is that not just the name used for animal companions? Like the Inuzuka Ninja Dogs?" He responded with a nod to Kiba and Hana.

"While the Ninken are some of the best partners a ninja could ask for, Summon Clans are an entirely different matter."

Konoharu wished she could explain properly, she turned to the nearest blond instead. "Naruto-jisan, what was the description you gave to genin when they wanted to learn about summoning?"

Naruto snapped his fingers, "Good idea Kono. Let me try and explain it. Captain Isshin, as I understand it an Asauchi is a blank template that is changed by exposure to a Shinigami's reiatsu? Then the concept shouldn't be too alien. In the Elemental Nations all life, animals, insects, plants, rocks, water, EVERYTHING holds and exudes chakra, a more potent form of reiatsu. Over the hundreds of years since Chakra was introduced, certain places in the world naturally created more Chakra."

Kaien chimed in, "Like how they say the parts of the Rukongai produce more food than others?"

"Exactly! As time went on the animals that lived there became saturated with Chakra and eventually gained intelligence. They can talk, write and each clan are masters of their own styles of jutsu. Some of the clans have summoning contracts, where they agree to aid a Shinobi in battle in return for something."

"Did you have a summon?"

"I did," Naruto gave a subdued smile, "I inherited the Toad summoning contract from my mentor, my father had been a summoner as well."

"How could a toad help you fight?"

"You see Captain Isshin's manor?"

Kaien nodded and looked back at the large house, nearly 3 or 4 stories tall and big enough to hold a huge family and their staff.

"My partner, the Boss Toad Gamakichi, is bigger than that house and wields a knife that stretches the length of this courtyard. My best friend Sasuke's summon, the snake Aoda, is long enough to encircle this section of the city. My sister in all but blood Sakura summoned a Slug that could crush the entire Academy with her bulk. Of course those are exceptions."

Kaien (and his father and Isshin) were drooling at the prospect.

"How huge is the Monkey King Konoharu?"

"Enma and his kin usually grow to 8 or 9 feet tall at the extreme."

"Oh." She heard the echo of disappointment in the other men at the table, kind of insulted she felt the need to defend her dear friend.

"Buuuut, unlike Naruto-jisan, I can summon without causing a flood."

"That happened one time!"

Conversation moved on and Konoharu was content to entertain Kaien with stories of monkeys and ninjas.

/

"Alrighty Kaien, time for bed!"

"Uncle Isshin, I don't wanna go to bed! Kiba was telling me how he and his ninken fought a man with 2 heads!"

"Well stories of monsters can wait for another day, say goodnight to your parents. They'll be entertaining the Shinobi with boring talk for the rest of the night."

Kaien scurried to his mother and gave her a big kiss then enveloped his father in as big a hug a young kid can. He waved to the Shinobi as his Uncle led him into the manor. Most of the other children and the guests with duties the next day had also departed. The only ones left to enjoy the cool evening were members of the main Shiba families.

"I must admit Naruto, I'd heard promising things about you and your comrades and you haven't disappointed me."

"I'm glad to hear that. Was there anything in specific you wanted to discuss with us Sokudan?"

"In fact there was."

The Shiba head looked to his wife.

"Shinobi-sans, the Shiba Clan would like to enter into talk with Yamagakure to establish formal ties between us."

"While we are deeply honoured by your offer, I believe the best way forward is to clarify what 'formal ties' would entail." Hinata took care with her response.

"The Shiba Clan has many investments in the Rukongai, agreeing to our proposal would give the Enclave access to many advantages." The Lady of the Shiba Clan passed a scroll across the table. "Among them better rates and contacts for trade."

"What could Yamagakure offer to repay the Shiba for such an opportunity?"

"Isshin has informed us of some special talents the Shinobi possess and from our own sources we've gathered that there's no clear answer to whether these talents are possible using Reiatsu."

None of the Shinobi gave a visible reaction. The atmosphere wasn't tense per say, but it was evident that the ninja's had closed ranks for the time being.

"One such talent, as we understand it, is The Sealing Arts. A craft you, Uzumaki-san, are rumored to have mastered." Unfazed, Utsuku made her case, "The Shiba Clan is willing to lend you the service of our Kido Masters in adapting Seals to the use of Reiatsu. As recompense the Shiba Clan and Yamagakure will agree to keep the instruction and details of any progress exclusive to us."

Hinata leaned to Naruto and listened to his soft words, she also gave the Inuzuka and Sarutobi a chance to advise her.

Taking the contract, she bowed to the Shiba, "We will take your offer before our Council. Rest assured you'll have our answer in a timely manner."

"Now that we're done with that…" Sokudan slammed his hands onto the table, making everyone jump, especially his wife, "Were you serious about the giant toads?" Sokudan was staring intently at Naruto.

"What does a Monkey King look like? Ouch!"

An instinctual slap was Konoharu's response to Isshin sneaking up to her shoulder before asking.

Hinata, grateful that matters of state were finished, smiled at their hoists, "If you think a giant toad is incredible, wait until you hear about the 9-Tailed Demon Fox."

Expensive looking jars of sake were laid out by Isshin, "Then do tell Miss Moon."

Offering a toast, Hinata and her new found friends took a deep drink, letting the rice wine warm them while she cuddled into her husband, who gave a hum of appreciation.

In her best storyteller voice, honed after years of putting children and grandchildren to bed, Hinata told the story that many had come to say set in motion the Fourth Shinobi War.

"Many years ago, a Nine-Tailed Fox suddenly appeared in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Under the thrall of an evil mastermind, its tails lashed out smashing mountains and sending tidal waves crashing to the shores. The Ninja rose up to defend their village. One Shinobi faced the Nine-Tailed Fox in mortal combat. He sacrificed his life to capture the beast, and seal it in a human body. This Ninja, was Namakaze Minato, known as the Fourth Hokage. He left behind a village in ruins, but in his son he left the Will of Fire, and a dream of peace."

/

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 **A/N: This Chapter just came to me really easily. Your reviews really helped me get in the writing mood. I think I'll skip writing out the meeting with Kyoraku and skip closer to Naruto and Co's graduation.**


	10. C-Rank Mission Curse

The Seireitei looked ethereal in the moonlight. No matter how many times Shunsui saw the sight he always felt the need to touch the nearest wall just to reassure himself he wasn't walking in a dream. He loved his division, he'd spent centuries making it comfortable for him and his officers, but secretly he would always prefer the First Division. It was plain, but graceful in its starkness, any time spent in those halls brought up memories of lessons with Sensei and Jushiro.

"Have you finalized your list?"

He turned to his oldest friend, trying to ignore how pale he had become in the past decades as his sickness intensified.

"I think so, I left most of it to Nanao-chan."

"One day Ise will get fed up with your habits Shunsui, then you'll be in for it."

"I'll worry about that when it happens."

The two shared a laugh and continued through the First Division grounds. There was enough moonlight to guide their way.

"I did handle the Shinobi list myself though."

"Yes, that took a bit longer than I would've liked."

"You suppose that's what this clandestine meetings all about? Is Sensei going to supervise us all bickering for our picks?"

Jushiro let the question hang as they came in sight of the Captain's Hall. They made there way inside, Sunshui was surprised to see everyone else already in attendance, had they gotten sidetracked talking?

"We can now begin."

Sensei didn't sound happy to be up at such a late hour. He and Jushiro hurried to their places. Shunsui noticed his fellow Captains looked as happy to be there as he did. Why the meeting couldn't have happened after breakfast Shunsui didn't know.

"My apologies for the late summons, but I thought it best this meeting take place in private."

Sensei seemed serious. What did he mean by "private"? What was more private than a Captain's meeting?

"Tomorrow invitations will be sent out to the Academy and the graduation preperations will start. I am usually content to leave you to your devices; unfortunately, the matter of the Shinobi delegates is one that necessitates careful attention."

Sensei prepared a stack of paper and ink.

"The First Division will not be offering any positions to the Shinobi based on the recommendation of Sarutobi-san. Captain Shihoin?"

Yoruichi was almost melting into the shadows of the hall, she didn't seem tired, those eyes of hers shined in the moonlight.

"The Second Division has already reached out to Uchiha Sasuke and received his acceptance to join as our 3rd Seat."

"Not wasting time are ya Yoruichi."

"You know me Isshin! I always get what I want."

"Captain Otoribashi?"

"The Third Division will ask Uyeda Omoi to take up our 10th Seat." Rose was staring at the moon, playing with his hair; he didn't appear interested in what the others were saying.

"Captain Unohana?"

The motherly captain looked as proper as ever, the hour didn't seem capable of dimming her smile.

"I'll be offering Haruno Sakura the Lieutenant's badge."

If any other Captain had said that, Shunsui was sure that Sensei would have snapped at them. Unohana was no ordinary Captain though and other than a brief look from Sensei, no one voiced a protest.

"Captain Hirako?"

Shinji cracked his neck, flashing his dagger smile at the room, "Rock Lee and Shikamaru Nara, 7th and 3rd Seat respectively."

A few Captains made noises of disagreement but Sensei pushed on regardless.

"Captain Kuchiki?"

"Nara Shikamaru will be notified that our 6th seat is his should he accept."

"Captain Aikawa?"

"I'm all good for now, don't need any geniuses messing up what I got going."

"Very well, Captain Kyoraku?"

"Hmmmm, I think I like the look of Uzumaki Naruto, Uyeda Omoi," He paused briefly to giggle, "and the beautiful flower, Haruno Sakura."

Shunsui heard the groans and dutifully ignored them, even Sensei shook his head. Fools, they just couldn't appreciate true beauty when they saw it!

"Captain Muguruma?"

"I wanted the Uchiha but since he's taken, I'll try and grab Uyeda, Bessho Ce and Uzumaki. I'll figure out seats later."

"Captain Shiba?"

"It's Uzumaki or bust for me! And I'll fight anyone who says otherwise! Hahah!"

Isshin always could brighten up a room.

"Captain Kenpachi?"

"I'll take all of them."

"For what seat Kenpachi?"

"I don't care Old Man, if any accept I'll throw em to my dogs and see how they shake out. Are we done yet?"

The current Kenpachi was a deft hand at annoying the Captain-Commander that was sure.

"We shall be done when I say we are Kenpachi. Captain Hikifune?"

The plump pink-haired Captain had been preoccupied with some book the entire meeting and only paused to give her answer.

"The 12th would be happy to have Nara Shikamaru or Bessho Ce for our 8th Seat."

"Finally, Captain Utikate?"

"Uyeda Omoi, Uzumaki Naruto and Rock Lee will be welcome in my division."

Sensei ran over his list one more time, making his own notes and fixing any mistakes. Satisfied he stood with his notes and gave a dismissive wave, "That will be all."

Yawning, Shunsui quickly found Jushiro and started badgering in him into some early morning drinking. Nothing put you to sleep quicker than some nice sake after all.

/

"Has everyone collected their offers?"

Shikamaru surveyed the group, they'd rented a private room in a nearby restaurant.

"Alright then let's hear your decisions, depending on who got what we might have to make some hard choices."

Ce and Omoi seemed to come to an agreement of some sort, "I'll be accepting a post in the Kido Corps, I think I'm the only one who got the offer, Omoi's decided on the 3rd Division, he'll get the 10th seat."

"I'm already chained to the 2nd Division, Captain Shihoin is demanding I fill her 3rd Seat."

Sasuke almost sounded like he was whining.

"Captain Unohana is insisting I become her lieutenant."

"Straight out of the Academy? You must have impressed her Sakura."

"I'd never seen her in person before, when she showed up and said she was just a seated officer I didn't bat an eye. She must be starved for competent healers if she's willing to take a chance on me."

"Nevermind that Sakura, you'll be in a valuable position, we don't have much information on the Lieutenants or the extent of their power."

"I'll do my best Shika."

"Lee?"

A crisp salute while he quickly chewed through his food, let them all know Lee was paying attention, so Shika answered for him.

"Lee and I have both decided to go for the 5th Division. That leaves you Naruto."

"Why do I feel like you're putting a lot of weight on my choice Shika?"

"You were the one who said we needed to have get a Captainship as soon as possible."

Naruto gave the Nara a deep frown, "There isn't even a vacant spot for me to fill Shika. We need to slow down, the Seireitei plays a game of centuries not decades."

"That doesn't matter Naruto, we need to establish ourselves before anyone can move against us."

"Shika we're trying to integrate, not dominate."

Shikamaru was getting frustrated, beneath the table he was playing with a pair of chopsticks and was bending them.

"I know that Naruto, but this is a different world. We aren't dealing with other Shinobi, we're not even dealing with Daimyos! If we don't plan carefully and strike when we see an opportunity there's no telling what these nobles will do."

"I know that Shika!" Naruto snapped.

"Do you?" Shikamaru was standing now, the rest of the occupants hadn't intervened, though Omoi had moved closer to the door. "Thanks to our new friends I've been looking into the some of the dirty secrets of the Seireitei, and what I've found is not reassuring."

Naruto had the grace to let him speak.

"Central 46 isn't some village council, they're identities are kept secret but they all come from select Noble Families and the seats are hereditary. There's no divorcing them from the everyday politics. After the Gotei brought order to Soul Society, the Noble families couldn't engage in open war anymore, now feuds are resolved through backroom deals, assassination or by framing your enemy. I was given a list, a short, incomplete list, of the Clans that no longer exist."

Shikamaru sat back down, locking eyes with Naruto.

"The lucky ones were driven bankrupt or had their family heads assassinated, leaving the survivors to disperse and disappear into the Rukongai."

Hinata asked the unspoken question, "The unlucky?"

"Were convicted of crimes against the Seireitei and sentenced to death by Central 46. Entire clans, families, associates, retainers wiped out by either the Onmitsukido or the Gotei. All it will take is angering the wrong people and accusations will fly. Who do you think they'll believe Naruto? Us? Or the Noble Clans of the Seireitei?"

The Gokage had no answer, he looked to his wife and found sympathy but no support.

"The best offer I've gotten was 3rd seat in the 10th. Isshin's a popular Captain, I can use him to start making my own connections."

"That also means you need to begin working on your Bankai."

Naruto grimaced and laid his head on Hinata's shoulder, "Yokina isn't gonna be easy on me."

Her hand massaged his forehead, "You'll do fine dear."

Shika seemed to have calmed himself, now he looked ready to fall asleep.

"Does anyone else have a problem with our plan?"

Shaking heads all around as everyone resumed their meals, thoughts of their futures hanging over the meal.

/

/

/

"Line up with your assigned group once your name is called. Team leaders will brief you on your mission. Remember, the moment you step through the Senkaimon your team leader is the ultimate authority. If you want to come back in one piece, you will listen to them." The instructor finished her rant and began reading off her list.

Filling the courtyard were final year students, most of them excited and eager to get their first glimpse of the Living World.

"Uzumaki-san!"

A tall student with muddy green eyes and Shiba features came over with a small smile.

"Hiroji, how many times have I asked you to call me Naruto?"

"Probably as many times as Uyeda-san has. Like I told him, I'm not my cousin, Isshin-jisan might feel comfortable being so casual, but he's a Captain."

Naruto gave his classmate a slap on the arm, "Would you start using our names if you beat Omoi in a spar?"

Hiroji smile got a little sharper, "Then I'd know you told him to take it easy on me."

Slowly the groups filled out, 12 students in total including Naruto and Hiroji. After the instructor left, the Shinigami officers entered and began preparing their students.

"Hiya kiddies!"

Or they would have, had the collective gaze of the entire courtyard not been on the gorgeous ginger that was striding towards Naruto's group. He took a moment to snap his fingers in front of Hiroji and his other classmates, turning around just in time to catch their team leader's introduction.

"Good morning everyone! My name is Matsumoto Rangiku, the 10th Division Lieutenant, and I'll be your team leader for today's exercise."

A Lieutenant? Now that sent the people whispering, it wasn't often the Academy saw one unless it was on business for their Captain.

"Now you can all gossip about me when we get back but for now pay attention. There's 3 groups going through the Senkaimon today, we'll be going first. Our assignment is to patrol a small town and its surrounding woods, there's more than a few souls in need of Konso. I'll observe you as you complete the ritual and then give my notes to your teachers. Any questions?"

Hiroji raised his hand, "Is there a possibility of a Hollow appearing?"

"Hollows?" Matsumoto focused on Hiroji, giving Naruto and a few other students a glance before answering. "We've had the squads doing double duty in the area so it's been pretty much cleaned out. If a Hollow does show its ugly face, then keep a cool head, stay together and let Big Sister Rangiku take care of everything!"

A wink, a spin and she was off. The rest of Naruto's group chuckled and followed her, feeling reassured.

/

Naruto wasn't sure what he expected the Living World to look like. Maybe the sky would be green or the there'd be two suns, something off putting like that. When they'd crossed through the Senkaimon he was faced with a forest similar to the outer reaches of Fire Country. The air smelt the same, the dirt looked the same, Naruto almost felt disappointed.

"There's one Uzumaki-senpai!"

Naruto turned back to his group. They'd found a few wandering souls, a couple of dead warriors dressed in strange armour that reminded him of the Daimyo's army; Hiroji konsod a hunter who'd broken his leg on a trail; they'd even found a pair of merchants who'd been ambushed on the road.

"Guess its my turn huh?"

It was interesting watching how his classmates reacted to the spirits and often their corpses. The ones from the Rukongai didn't so much as blink, from what Naruto had seen violence was a part of life in the districts. The Clan kids reminded Naruto of fresh Genin, puke and all, they did their duty in the end but Naruto hoped they got a stronger stomach if they were serious about graduating.

Hiroji surprised him, he clearly wasn't comfortable with the hunter's body but admitted that it wasn't his first, Shiba kids spent a couple years in the Rukongai, and even the "nice" parts weren't totally free of tragedy.

Following his classmate back through the trees, Naruto saw a small village in the distance and past the collection of houses were farmlands. The rest of his group were in what seemed to be a graveyard.

"Found another one Lieutenant Matsumoto?"

His future superior was quite fun to be around, serious when she needed to be but always ready to lighten the mood and keep their spirits up. She wasn't winking now though, she looked upset. He followed her gaze, finding the form of a child sitting near a grave. The sun was setting, the last rays shone through the spirit, distorting their form.

Naruto laid a hand on his Lieutenants shoulder, "I'll take this one Lieutenant."

He didn't doubt that she'd seen this before but seeing dead children never got easier. Threading through the headstones he stopped a few feet away from the child, a girl judging from her dress and hair, and sat down.

"Hello."

The girl flinched, looking through her fingers, "Who are you?" she quietly asked.

"My name's Naruto. I'm… a guide."

"A guide to where?" She couldn't have been older than 12 or 13.

"To the afterlife."

She reached out and laid a hand over the gravestone beside her, tracing a few of the prayers inscribed.

"Will my brother be there?"

"I don't know."

It wasn't the answer she was expecting or wanted, tears spilled down her cheeks, but she was strong enough to wipe them away quickly. She stood up, unsteady on her feet, he copied her. She seemed to be taking one last look around her home. He wasn't going to crush any of her hopes by explaining she'll more than likely forget everything about her old life.

At his foot he noticed a piece of wood about the size of his hand, probably blown off a house in a storm, he picked it up and made sure the girl wasn't watching him. Withdrawing a kunai his quickly scratched down both the Konoha symbol and the Shinobi kanji, then he infused it with his own reiatsu.

Making sure to keep his steps slow, he went closer, "Are you ready?"

She looked up at him, he could tell she was afraid but she did a brilliant job of hiding it, "Yes." was her simple answer.

"Take this" he held out his improvised seal, "Once you cross over you may be confused, show this to any merchants, if they recognize the symbol they should be able to point you to a Shinobi. Tell them 'Uzumaki Naruto' gave it to you and they'll help, understand?"

Once she had repeated back his instruction he gave her a pat on her head and told her a corny joke, as she laughed he told her to close her eyes. A soft press of his Zanpakuto hilt to her forehead and she was enveloped in soft white light. Naruto walked back to his classmates, the sight of a white butterfly still on his mind. They were all silent, watching him with a mix of emotions.

Matsumoto stepped forward, a small smile on her face, "Good job Uzumaki, that was well done. Alright then! Let's head back to camp."

The journey back to their point of arrival was quick, everyone was ready to return to the Academy for some food and rest. Hiroji was in the middle of describing his sister's wedding, which ended with a 3 way game of Odds and Evens between her husband, father and sister, when a screech tore through the quiet dusk of the evening.

Naruto and Matsumoto were racing ahead of their comrades before the scream had ended. A second and third scream rang their ears seconds before Naruto burst into the clearing. He barely glanced at the bodies spread around him, instead he drew his Zanpaktou and went straight for the nearest Hollow.

The monster had sickly green skin stretched around a bulging stomach, its hands were thick with mismatched digits and its mask resembled a twisted dog. Two bodies laid at its feet, chunks taken out of their sides. Naruto leapt before the creature turned and sailed straight over its head bending as he arced over and cut into its bony visage. It screeched, the cries fading alongside its body.

Naruto heard similar screams behind him and knew Matsumoto hadn't wasted any time. Taking a second he searched the clearing, he saw blood and other signs of battle but no more bodies. His eyes snapped left as he picked up movement from the bushes, his stance tensed right up to the moment Shikamaru and his group rushed into the open.

"Shika!" Naruto called out as he ran up.

Shika held his tanto at the ready, fresh blood coating its blade. Following him was the rest of their group, he saw Sakura supporting an injured Omoi while Lee, Ce and Sasuke guarded their flanks.

"Where are your officers?"

Shikamaru motioned at the fresh corpses Naruto had passed, "They were the first ones taken out. Rushed in without a second thought to us, three Hollows tried to surprise us. When that didn't work they just swarmed the officers."

They moved to the centre of the field, Matsumoto had ordered other students to watch the perimeter. Sakura tended to Omoi and the other injured while Naruto, Shikamaru and Sasuke met with the Lieutenant.

"Nara-san how many Hollows did you encounter?"

"Five initially, the officers," He motioned to the corpses, now covered with cloth, "managed to kill two of them before the other four overwhelmed them. A pair broke off to chase us after we'd retreated into the woods. We ambushed them but Uyeda and Kasaka were wounded in the fight."

"Lieutenant, I thought this area was cleansed?" Sasuke didn't keep his annoyance and suspicion out of his tone.

Matsumoto was having none of it though, "Uchiha, Hollows are often devious and bloodthirsty. They might have been farther afield and wandered near after the last patrol left; the cause will be investigated by the proper people." She looked Sasuke up and down before smirking and waving him away, "Why don't you be a good little student and watch the perimeter."

Taken aback at being dismissed he looked to Naruto, his teammate had other things on his mind and made no move to defend him. Sasuke bowed and left to organize the shocked students into something resembling a defense.

"I've sent off a Hell Butterfly calling for reinforcements," Rangiku continued once Sasuke was on his way, "we'll need to stay here until they open the Senkaimon. Can I count on you two if any more Hollows attack?"

Shika scratched his head, playing with the hilt of his tanto, "We'll do our part Lieutenant, besides this isn't so different from that ambush in the Land of Earth."

Naruto nodded while chuckling, "Which one?"

"When those fanatics trapped us on the cliff."

"Look on the bright side, we have room to sit here."

Matsumoto had relaxed while listening to their banter, she jokingly shook both men's shoulders, "Good to hear. As a reward for your diligence, when this all over you can treat me to a drink!"

/

As reinforcements arrived, Naruto took one more pass of the perimeter. They'd been on high alert for two hours straight, keeping a careful watch under the moonlight. He'd half expected to be waist deep in Hollows at some point but the wait was eerily quiet. More than a few of the students looked unsatisfied with how their trip had ended. Naruto knew it wasn't their fault, they were young, looking to prove themselves, and being able to boast a kill count before leaving the Academy would certainly give their reputation a boost.

Naruto was standing beside Matsumoto when Captain Isshin stepped out of the Senkaimon. He followed her lead by bowing while she updated the Captain on the situation.

"Thank you Rangiku, excellent job. Organize the officers I've brought with me and prep any injured students for travel."

Leaving Matsumoto to her task, Isshin motioned for Naruto to follow him as they took a walk around the clearing.

"First taste of action, what did ya think of it Naruto?"

Thinking back on the Hollow he'd killed and the ones Shikamaru and Omoi had seen he could only respond with a casual shrug of his shoulders, "They were ugly that's for sure," Isshin gave him a flat look. "I could see how they'd be dangerous, built big, built fast; against a novice, or in larger numbers I can see why they're so deadly." The Captain looked more satisfied with that answer. "It's just not the biggest thing I've fought, that's all." Naruto added.

Isshin blew out a breath, letting his shoulders drop, "You Shinobi are so hard to please, at this rate I think it would take a Menos Grande to really knock you off balance."

The two traded jokes as they paced the perimeter. Isshin stopped to speak with the students who'd been holding position. Seeing the awe and respect given to Isshin gave Naruto a better idea of just how revered the position of Captain was within the Gotei. They (Naruto and the other Shinobi) had assumed the Captains acted like elders or veteran Jonin with the Captain Commander taking the Hokage role. Naruto was slowly revising that hierarchy in his mind. The Divisions were more akin to their own villages, with distinct tradition and identities, that placed the Captains as individual Kages and the Captain Commander as the Gokage. The whole structure was much closer to the Elemental Nations than Naruto previously assumed. That complexity also implied there was probably a level of contention and competition between the Divisions, something to keep in mind when planning the distribution of future Shinobi officers.

Naruto was lost in his observation when he ran into Isshin's elbow, the Captain had his eyes closed and had turned his head off to the south. Naruto decided to extend his own amateur sensing skills, ironically enough sensing Reiatsu was one of his worst skills. The ease of nature chakra and the instant connection Sage Mode had given him to his surroundings had spoiled him, it was thanks to Sasuke and Sakura (with a few months of intense studying) that Naruto was able to sift through his own massive reserves and in a sense "dim his light" to look for others.

In the distance, probably at least 50 kilometers away, Naruto could vaguely feel some subdued Reiatsu. It looked like one big cluster to him, he assumed Captain Isshin was able to isolate the individual signatures.

"Something to be worried about Captain? Want me to check it out?"

Isshin didn't respond, he nodded and began marching into the trees, Naruto hurried to follow him. The Captain sped up into a decent run once they made it halfway to the mysterious signatures. It wasn't audible until they went further but Naruto soon began to pick up the faint growls of an argument.

"Why wait?" came from a gravelly voice without much bass in it.

Naruto couldn't make out the reply, the other voice was far quieter.

"Then we should bait them out. Send some of those mindless puppets of yours to distract them and when he comes out I'll grab him. We can leave the drones to cover us while we escape."

Naruto and Captain Isshin were finally close enough to make out the other voice, it was soft and it spoke with a melancholic tone.

"If the Shinigami is caught in the fighting he could be injured, our instruction is to bring him back in one piece."

"One piece doesn't mean unharmed! So what if he bleeds a little, it'll make him easier to handle." The argument was heating up, it sounded as if the gravel voiced creature was getting impatient.

Naruto caught a glimpse of a sleek form under the moonlight. Captain Isshin had gestured for a halt some 10 metres away from the voices, Naruto had kept a hand on his sword and his other senses on alert while they eavesdropped.

The argument, between Hollows Naruto recognized, was still going and one of the beasts had walked away frustrated. Just their luck that had moved closer to their hiding spot. Naruto tensed and kept an eye on his future Captain, awaiting his signal.

It was subtle, a flex of the hand, before Isshin rushed forward at a speed that rivaled Sasuke, he seemed to trust Naruto could keep up. They sped through the underbrush, quiet as they could. He wasn't sure what gave him away but nonetheless the Hollows snapped their heads up during the approach.

"They found us! I knew we should've attacked!"

"I'll deal with the camp, you finish these two." The Calm One ordered.

Naruto finally got a good look at their new prey. The Calm Hollow was slender with pale blue skin, four arms with stiff pincers running along each appendage moved fluidly around it's strange lower half, a huge skirt-shaped piece made of oval pods, completing the creature was a mask that seemed to be a spider's visage split in half. Its partner was a beast that rested on four hoofed legs wrapped in dark red fur, its head spouted two gnarled and twisted horns while its jaw seemed permanently open showing off large fangs to the world.

The Calm One gave a scream and the pods along its "skirt" split open to let out dozens and dozens of arachnid-like creatures. The swarm and its owner ran from Naruto and Isshin trying to circle around and most likely attack and overwhelm the rest of the students and officers. The Horned One planted its feet in the dirt and began stomping.

Naruto held back his instinctual urge to order Isshin to attack the Horned Hollow and let him intercept the Calm One; this wasn't a Shinobi mission and he wasn't the commander here.

"Naruto! Stop them from making it to camp, then regroup with Lieutenant Matsumoto!"

Once again Isshin must have held some measure of trust in Naruto. No sooner than as he finished giving his order he drew his Zanpaktou, a red handled katana with a thin rectangular guard, and leapt at the Horned Hollow who answered with a charge of its own.

Naruto left his Captain to put down the creature, focusing on the distant form of the strange Calm Hollow and its brood.

/

 **A/N: Thanks for all your support, I'm really glad people are enjoying this story! Finally some proper Hollow action and in the next chapter Naruto isn't going to hold back on the Calm Hollow.**


	11. Dead Sage Paradox

Naruto kept the Calm Hollow in sight but was having trouble gaining ground on his foe. When he did manage to get within shuriken distance, a number of bloated white spider-shaped creatures would ambush him. They fell easily enough to quick strikes but it was their corpses that caused him the most trouble. His Zanpaktou bisected and dismembered them well enough, but their innards coated his blade and uniform after each kill. The gunk had begun to harden and his blade was getting heavier while his clothes stiffened, further hampering his mobility. Naruto decided to ignore the ambushes, dodging around the creatures or outrunning them. He bypassed many of the slower spiders but the odd lucky one still managed to get in his way.

Slashing through two spiders, Naruto stopped himself mid-sprint to hastily clean their guts off his face before they could harden. Once his eyes were clear he cursed, the Hollow was out of sight. He focused and reached out, trying to sense if the Hollow had simply sped ahead of him. He didn't get the chance. His sense hadn't even reached past the nearest trees before a mass of reiatsu nearly impaled him from above. Naruto had leapt out of the way, taking a lash across his shoulder blade in the process.

Regaining his footing Naruto had his sword at the ready, searching visually for the Hollow. It would take him a few seconds to extend his spiritual senses past his immediate surroundings. Relying on his natural senses instead, Naruto listened for the slightest noise. A whistling to his right caused him to send out a handful of shuriken blindly, they intercepted a bundle of sharp white spikes. But again, the moment Naruto's attention narrowed he had to to quickly shift to escape a strike to his back. This time he managed to glimpse the blue form of the Calm Hollow as it whipped passed him and retreated not along the ground, but up into the trees!

The thick canopy made it extremely difficult for Naruto to track anything that could be hiding there, if the sun was still up he could have used the shadows but the moon hadn't risen high enough to be useful. Taking a running leap, Naruto launched himself into the overhang, spearing his Zanpaktou forward on instinct to kill a spider that was aiming for his neck. Kicking the now-corpse off his blade Naruto took in the swarm that had evidently been creeping above his head the entire time. 20 or 30 feet in front of him was the Calm Hollow resting among the branches, it was bent over unmoving. Naruto began crossing toward it, slowed by the swarming spiders. He saw the Calm Hollow's skirt opening again to release another 10 spiders into the battle. He noted that it took the Hollow a couple seconds to fully close its pods and it seemed frozen in place for that duration.

While bisecting a trio of spiders Naruto realized the Calm Hollow had once again started heading toward the Senkaimon. The spiders in between him and the creature made him nervous.

'It'll take time to cut through them, if the Hollow reaches the camp I'm sure Matsumoto and the others can take care of it. Except, if it stops to birth more of these pests the other students will be in danger.'

Naruto let his thoughts run as he habitually killed the spiders, he slowly began making his way after the Calm Hollow. His katana was more club than blade at this point and it was taking more and more of Naruto's reiatsu to break off the chunks. Taking stock of his own energy Naruto felt he was reaching his tipping point, if he kept up this slog he would lose the ability to safely release his Shikai.

The concept of Shikai had been very interesting to the Shinobi. From hearsay Naruto imagined it was simply the equivalent of an empowering jutsu, akin to Ay's Lightning Style Armour or Tsunade's Mitotic Regeneration. After his first class on Shikai Naruto shifted his evaluation to place it closer to Sage mode of all things.

In clinical terms, Shikai takes a set amount of reiatsu to activate. Speaking your release phrase creates an extremely close connection to your Zanpakuto spirit, who then absorbs that set amount and uses it to manifest its second form. This form will then start outputting a large amount of reiatsu, this new energy is used to fuel the Shinigami's body and their Zanpakuto abilities. At some point that original influx of reiatsu will run out thus cancelling Shikai, with the loss of their spirit's added energy, the Shinigami is left with whatever energy remains after both powering the Shikai release and whatever was used during the fight. All this means, that the average Shinigami will always come out weaker after using their Shikai.

Naturally there are ways to counteract these consequences. The amount of reiatsu required to release Shikai is lessened as the Shinigami becomes better in tune with their inner spirit, and larger reiatsu reserves will give a Shinigami more energy to work with after exiting Shikai. It's generally accepted that Lieutenants are able to fight in Shikai for extended periods of time and still be formidable afterwards; following that reasoning, it wouldn't be impossible to bet that Captains can maintain Shikai indefinitely.

At the moment Naruto had two choices, he could enter Shikai and risk being out of commision for any other battles or he'd have to rely on his own abilities to, at the very least, delay the Calm Hollow long enough for Captain Isshin to catch up. Glimpsing the Calm Hollow surging out of hiding with a fesh swarm, Naruto went with his gut instinct. Sprinting forward through the thick branches using them as a natural stairway, Naruto made jumped and broke through the canopy and sailed through the night. The wind was loud, the air chilled, the moon bright.

/

Naruto's head was clear, he was back in his element. After so many decades he still felt the most confident heart pounding, fingers bruised, out in nature. He loved peace, he'd dedicated his life as Hokage to achieving it; but a part of him still called for battle, to struggle and fight. After his 5th year as Hokage it began bothering him, how excited and energized he'd feel whenever the opportunity arose to leave the safety of the Village. Assassination attempts, ambushes and the occasional show of force always helped to motivate him. His guilt grew, Tsunade-baachan had been the first to notice it and she promptly dragged him off for a "border inspection" that quickly turned into a night out in Tanzaku City.

Naruto would later blame the alcohol for how quickly he let slip his worries, Tsunade sat across from him in the private booth she'd rented and listened to him rant, much the same way Jiraiya had once upon a time.

"Naruto, the answer's right in front of you," she told him, "it used to be tied around your forehead too."

It was easy for Naruto to forget that Tsunade and Jiraiya had been part of Konoha's deadliest team. Combined the Sannin had the highest confirmed kill count in Konoha's history. She understood better than anyone the cognitive dissidence, the dual thinking, a Shinobi could develop over their life. From childhood they are shaped to kill for the good of the village, the Shinobi ranks (C-S) were created to measure not skill or knowledge but sheer lethality.

Tsunade and Naruto would make several more "inspections" before Tsunade's deteriorating health confined her to the village. They'd relax and talk, Tsunade refused to call it therapy. She helped Naruto come to terms with his own eagerness for combat, in a way she finished a lesson Jiraiya had started.

Naruto's first kill had been a rogue-nin during his training trip with the Toad Sage, he was lucky the ninja had gone rouge when he'd still been a genin. The criminal had been skilled enough to attack merchants and farmers unopposed but against someone with real training his weaknesses showed; still he nearly killed Naruto by pretending to be unconscious, when Naruto approached to tie him up a kunai nearly slashed through his windpipe. On instinct Naruto threw his own kunai, straight into the man's throat, an instinct born from countless hours of throwing practice at the Academy and with Kakashi-sensei. Jiraiya took him on a month long trip to the Land of Tea, the old pervert talked him through the nightmares and the shock. In Naruto's opinion that was the event that truly brought them together as more than just teacher and student.

Decades passed, Jiraya died and it fell to Tsunade to convince Naruto he wasn't a monster for wanting to do what he had been trained to do. The relief Naruto felt when he understood that his passion for combat, not death, but for struggle and victory was completely normal for a Shinobi, especially a Shinobi as strong as Naruto. It was a lesson he passed on to his children, once they were old enough; he made sure they both knew that to enjoy a fight was understable, it was when a Shinobi began to crave death rather than victory that they crossed a line.

"Emerge! Yokina Seiji!"

Naruto began changing as he fell. A coating of stone stretched from his sword's handle, as the rock crawled up his katana it began shifting and bending straight, its hilt also morphed, curving and shortening before solidifying into a stone dao with the Uzumaki swirl carved into the base of the blade.

/

One moment the Calm Hollow was preparing to release another of its brood, the surrounding trees were filled with its creatures, they were prepared to ambush the yellow Shinigami when he inevitably attacked again. The Hollow could only salivate at the souls it could sense up ahead, they would be very filling.

The Hollow heard some branches break, it looked toward the source and saw a flash of grey. It's senses came to life as multiple spiders jumped on instinct to intercept the blade that nearly beheaded it. The Calm Hollow was forced to prematurely release its brood, as it moved to put some distance between itself and the Shinigami, the pods on its body cracked open and the unfinished spiders fell to the forest floor. The Calm Hollow grew angry, it would take time for its pods to reseal themselves and began growing a new brood.

Taking scope of the battlefield, the Hollow watched as more and more spiders swarmed the Shinigami. It decided to wait until the Shinigami was covered head to toe and unable to move, that way it could take time to devour the annoying maggot slowly; it was the least the Shinigami could do after all the trouble he'd caused. The Shinigami wasn't going down easy, but the Hollow could see its spiders caking the battlefield with their blood.

To speed up the process the Hollow called for the spiders it had placed to watch the Shinigami camp back. A splatter of guts interrupted the Hollow's signal. The residue covered the left half of its face, the Hollow struck out in that direction to fend off any assault. Its pincers sunk into hard bark instead of flesh, they weren't there for long.

A painful cut separated the pincers from the Hollow who recoiled with a scream. The Shinigami was moving faster, and his sword must have lengthened, he had greater reach than before. The Shinigami was keeping close to the Hollow, it was being hard pressed to keep all its limbs intact. The Hollow's pod skirt took most of the damage, it reasoned that losing its arms had done more damage than expected. The Calm Hollow's depth perception was off, more than once strikes that should have missed cut into its sides, its own attempts to gut the blonde runt were deflected each time no matter how fast or cleverly it struck.

The Hollow got a chance to breathe when the last of its surviving spiders arrived and tried to overwhelm the Shinigami. The Hollow's reprieve didn't last. Once the spiders surrounded the Shinigami the Hollow heard him yell,

"Hado #40: Uzuhorui!"

The spiders were blown away, revealing the Shinigami; surrounding him were rings of orange energy, spinning and shifting, the kido had cut open several spiders and soon dissipated. With no more spiders to throw at him, the Calm Hollow finally stood face to face with the hunter. The blonde wasn't even dishevelled! He stood calmly and confidently. He'd also done something to his eyes, they shone bright yellow now in contrast to the blue before. The Hollow was starting to panic. It had run partly hoping that its horned ally would deal with the Shinigami but this second soul reaper had surprised it. Now it was running low on energy and options, the Hollow's only hope now was to escape.

/

Naruto could feel the leaves move, hear the trees breathe and feel the ground shift, it was wonderful. His shikai emulated some of his Sage abilities, it allowed him to attune himself to the spiritual energy of the world and living things (very similar to Nature Chakra) the differences started with not having to gather Natural Reiatsu as he called it, so there was no worry of being overwhelmed by it; a downside of his release was he couldn't extend it in any way, no using clones to "cheat" as some of his friends called it and he had to remain in contact with his Zanpaktou for his ability to work.

Frankly, Naruto was fine with the new limitations in exchange for regaining his favourite ability. The Rasengan would always hold a special place in his heart, but being a Sage was the first skill Naruto truly felt he'd mastered and was uniquely his. Naruto used to argue with Grandpa Fukasaku over who would win in a fight, his Sage mode or his father's Flying Thunder God Technique; they never did come up with a satisfying answer.

He'd made quick work of the pesky spiders, his sword now emulated the effect of frog-kata, it could cut without actually touching an enemy, meaning Naruto could avoid most of the concrete-like innards. The Hollow was distracted and had lost 2 of its arms because of it. After going through the last of the brood Naruto knew he'd backed it into a corner.

He tracked the Hollow as it leapt away from him, it dropped to the forest floor and began a desperate run west… right toward the Senkaimon! Naruto was right on its heels, lining up his arms he cast another Kido.

"Bakudo #9: Horin!"

A ball of orange energy formed in his grip and then lashed out, like a water-jutsu it flowed out of his hand, it arched around a tree ahead of the hollow and slammed into it mid-sprint. The energy coiled around the Hollow tightly and the energy tightened, now more like a chain. Naruto dug his heels into the earth and tugged the kido back, throwing the Hollow through a tree. Naruto made his way over to his prisoner, keeping a steady flow of Reiatsu into his kido to stop the Hollow from breaking free. It was struggling, thrashing at the ground while trying to overpower its bonds. Naruto made sure not to slip on the blood leaking from its stumps, the more it struggled the faster it bled out.

The Hollow at full height probably reached 8 or 9 feet, Naruto had to walk around it to reach its mask. The mix of teeth and eyes didn't make for a pleasing picture. As he came into the Hollow's view it made one last lunge to try and take pound of flesh in return, Naruto's sword swept forward cutting the air a full foot away from his enemy. The Hollow was surprised, as surprised as a disfigured arachnid monster can, when his mask and most of his head were cut clean through. The Hollow fell back, its body dissolving into nothing while Naruto let his kido fade away. Taking a deep breath Naruto re-sealed his Zanpakuto, the stone casing cracked and fell away revealing his katana. Naruto made his way to the Senkaimon.

/

The clearing and his comrades came into view, Captain Isshin was leaning against the last tree in Naruto's path. He stopped watching Lieutenant Matsumoto and checked over Naruto.

"Nice work Uzumaki."

"Thank you Captain. I hope you don't think I went overboard."

Isshin grinned, "Those colourful eyes did more than just make you look like a frog."

"Toad."

"What?"

"Nevermind" Naruto said as he accompanied Isshin into the clearing.

The larger group of Shinigami caught sight of them, Matsumoto and her squadmates promptly dragged of their Captain, Matsumoto berating him for running off without letting her know. Sakura came over to give him her customary check up then they joined the rest of the students.

Orders were issued and reinforcements from the 8th Division arrived to escort the students back to the Academy. They were interviewed by the instructors and then sent off to bed. Naruto was held back, he described his fight with the Hollow though no one asked for details on his Shikai, the fact that a Captain had given Naruto the order to hunt down said Hollow allowed him to escape any punishment. He went to bed last night satisfied, and somewhat amused to know that even in death he couldn't escape the C-Rank mission curse.

/

/

/

Graduation took forever to arrive and passed too quickly. The last exams were done with, practical demonstrations had been performed and final assignments were handed in. Shikamaru seemed the most excited for the break from academia. The Shinobi had received permission to return to their Enclave before the actual ceremony, when they returned some of the Shinobi Council would accompany them back for further talks with the Gotei and Central 46. They'd been provided with a cart, some horses and set out.

They'd stopped to rest at homestead in the 10th District and paid the landowners to keep their steeds stabled until their return trip before proceeding on foot towards the mountain. Their group was a day from the Enclave when they met some familiar faces and it wasn't a happy reunion.

/

 **A.N: Its final exam time, so I've been putting off finishing this chapter. I'm still trying to get a handle on writing fight scenes and this one was definitely longer and more involved than a fight with multiple characters would be.**

 **We've seen Naruto's Shikai, I chose to have it emulate his Sage mode rather than the Fox, mostly because the Fox wasn't part of Naruto naturally but whose to said it didn't leave some influence on him we've yet to see? I'm planning on finishing up this first arc in the next chapter. The next arc will have a bit of a timeskip to keep things moving. Thanks for all the reviews and follows, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	12. A Grand Vision

District 10's forest was calm, birds nested and smaller critters went about their business. The shifting of branches was the only disturbance and most animals shot for cover as something went overhead. Seven shinigami zipped through the forest, using the foliage as a springboard. They'd long abandoned the road, taking a direct route to the towering mountains. Making their way to the base, they walked into a hidden entrance and reemerged in the sprawling cavern, home to Yamagakure.

They found friends and family waiting in the entrance courtyard; Shikamaru's parents, the Raikages, Might Guy, Kakashi and Iruka. Team 7 made their way over to their old teachers, where Kakashi and Iruka couldn't avoid being dragged into a bear hug by Naruto.

"Easy there Naruto!" Iruka complained while he pulled himself out of Naruto's arms.

"Why Iruka-sensei? Can't use age as an excuse anymore."

"We may be spirits but that doesn't stop your hugs from being death traps."

Naruto kept ribbing his friend, while Kakashi greeted Sakura and Sasuke.

"Glad to see you both in one piece," Kakashi took in their student uniforms. "Not exactly the most practical outfits huh?"

"We won't get our Gotei uniforms until our official induction into a Division." Sakura explained.

Sasuke looked around the square, "Where are the Harunos?" he asked.

Naruto chimed in as well, "Ya, where's Hinata?"

Iruka stepped on Kakashi's foot when he refused to speak up, prompting the Kage to look his students in the eyes. "The Harunos, and Hinata. are waiting at the Hokage Manor. They've been waiting for you."

Kakashi led them through the village. They walked through the market and town center, passing the occasional citizen; the Diplomats had arrived before the crack of dawn to avoid disturbing the villagers' routine. Past the Kage Tower and separated by some low walls was a large manor with a trio of attached houses. An arch above the main path had the 5 Great Nations' symbols carved in stone. Along the pathway leading to the doors was a line of statues carved in the likeness of the Kage; starting with the five Shodais and onward.

Team 7 took the chance to get a refresher on the latest Shinobi news during their walk.

"We've kept ourselves busy," Kakashi told them, "now that we have a supply line to the Seireitei we've begun reaching out. The Council has limited itself to the first 50 districts."

"We've made good progress." Iruka chimed in. "It seems the Gotei only sends out small patrols. We've been able to fill in the gap needed for skilled mercenaries who can do more than just swing an axe."

"So far merchants have been coming to us for security but a few smaller noble families have offered contracts for secure couriers. It's not much, but it's a start." Kakashi finished.

Sasuke spoke next, "I spoke to a number of students who came from the higher districts, seems crime lords and gangs are the closest they have to authority, does the Council have any plans?"

Kakashi gave Sasuke a pat on the shoulder, "I told the Intelligence Division to start a preliminary dossier. You could always stop by and share any details that weren't in your report, I'm sure they'd appreciate a visit from one of their idols."

"Anything else Kakashi?" Sakura deflected, trying to give her husband some peace.

The teachers and students stopped outside the doors to the Manor, "The ANBU have heard a whisper of a rumor, that something's going on in the furthest reaches of the Rukongai. It's too far for us to get any credible information, keep your ears open nonetheless."

Kakashi motioned for Team 7 to follow him, leading his old students into a large guest room. Sakura saw her parents sitting on a couch and rushed to meet them. Naruto noticed Hinata entering from another room, he was mid-stride when two more figures joined them.

First was a man in his late 20s with long red, nearly pink, hair, dark green eyes and a white cloth covering his throat. Naruto didn't get a word out before Sakura blew past him, tears in her eyes, and collapsed into the man's chest. Sasuke followed her, not crying, but severely frowning the way he usually reserved for funerals.

"I'm sorry Baba, Jiji." Uchiha Reo apologised to his grandparents.

A soft voice carried over the Uchihas, "Papa?"

Naruto's eyes froze on the woman standing behind his wife, Himawari had been a grown woman last he'd seen her, married to a civilian-born ninja with two infants of her own. She didn't seem to have changed much, her hair had Hinata's colouring with a dash of Uzumaki messiness, eyes in classic Naruto blue, with whiskers to match. His daughter took his hand and guided him to a couch, sitting at his side opposite her mother.

"What happened Himawari?" Naruto asked.

/

Naruto's question didn't have a simple answer. Reo, Sarada's son, and Himawari were both on a village patrol when the general alarm sounded. The ANBU had attempted to bust a sleeper cell that had infiltrated Konoha, the enemy was warned and tried to escape the village. The cell was larger than ANBU estimates and nearly 20 Shinobi broke out of the lock down area. Himawari and Reo's teams pursued them and attacked in hopes of delaying until backup arrived. Several of the infiltrators specialized in long-range and large-scale jutsu. Reo was killed by a mass-wind style jutsu; Himawari disabled several Shinobi before taking a fatal sword wound to the stomach after being blinded by a lightning-style assassination technique.

The infiltrators were from a group of smaller Hidden-Villages that some Daimyo had jointly founded as a counter to the Shinobi Alliance. The Elemental Nations' new ties to the other countries in the south had driven new demand for Shinobi, something the Daimyo's were keen to profit from. The Shinobi Alliance was too powerful to be controlled, so smaller villages were created that were securely in the Damiyo's pocket.

/

Sakura and Sasuke retired for the night, going back to one of the guest wings with the Harunos and Reo. Hinata and Himawari took Naruto to their own section of the manor. They talked about the changes to the Elemental Nations and how their family had been.

"It's been 20 years?" Naruto's disbelief clear on his face.

"Nearly 23, is it that strange to hear?" His daughter confirmed.

"It certainly didn't feel that long. If you had asked me a month ago I would have said 5 years at most, maybe less." Hinata added.

"At the Academy, they talked about the distortion between Soul Society and the Living World. The longer you stay here, the harder it is to keep track of time there."

"Who knows? We might see Boruto sooner than expected" Hinata said.

The Uzumakis spent the night and next morning enjoying each other's company. Reo had just graduated from the Academy when Naruto went off to his final battle. The boy inherited Sarada's spirit but was tempered with a good head on his shoulders, most people thought that was the Nara blood shining through.

A few days of relaxation and lunches with old friends kept them busy. Unfortunately, duty could only be postponed; soon enough all the Shinobi turned Shinigami were up to their ears in meetings, debriefings, and demonstrations. The Shinobi were eager to record everything their agents had been taught. Ce and Sasuke had memorised as much of the written curriculum as they could, Lee and Omoi went through the academy styles step by step, and Sakura wrote extensive reports on the various kido disciplines. All while Naruto and Shikamaru met with the Kage Council, mapping out the various political, economic and military ties that held the Gotei together. Shikamaru just seemed thankful he wasn't sitting in class anymore.

/

The Enclave entrance was crowded the day they left. Businesses and offices had closed; families and friends stood around the square, on the roofs, some of the younger Shinobi even stood on each other's shoulders, all to get a look. Naruto and company were back in their student robes, accompanying them was Ay, Choguro and Hoseki in modest travelling attire (their proper Kage robes were stored for when they'd actually need to look presentable).

The emissaries departed with a fanfare, Naruto loathed to leave his wife behind but he felt better seeing Himawari at her side. Sakura somehow managed to cajole Iruka into making sure Reo was settling in well, she also threatened her Grandson with a promise of a "Tsunade-style" workout regime if he didn't send frequent letters.

The diplomats set off, making good time. When your company consists of 4 Kages, a kage-level shinobi, and Rock Lee, you move at a brisk pace. A day later they were nearing the homestead, a front property owned by an Shinobi operative.

While preparing supplies Naruto and Ay met with the homeowner, an older Shinobi from Iwa, named Toyozo. He was good at his job, not good enough to hide his slight dislike of Naruto though. He warned them to keep a closer eye on the road, not out of a fear for their safety of course, but a pair of Shinobi assigned to bring some of the Enclave's goods to a market had gone missing. Toyozo was betting on the Gotei being behind it.

The delegation returned to the Seireitei to no celebration or attention. As instructed, they rode straight to the 1st Division, where the Kages would be staying. Hiruzen was waiting for them, he explained he'd be acting as an "guide" for the Kage during their stay. Chojuro and Hoseki were somewhat awed by Hiruzen's presence, to them the 3rd Hokage was a legend. Ay had a very different reaction.

"Ohohoh, look at the Old Man. Is that what you looked like in your prime?"

"Aaaaah, young Ay. You're certainly as large as your father. You speak like him to."

"Y'know my father talked about you. Used to tell me bedtime stories. 'Train hard or else the God of the Shinobi will burn you alive!' I'll admit I was disappointed when Orochimaru put you down."

Hiruzen smiled, "Well I appreciate the sentiment Raikage."

Ay's smile was decidedly more threatening. "Since you're not an infirm vegetable and I'm back in shape, how about we see if I took those bedtime stories to heart eh?"

Both men unconsciously flexed. Naruto didn't want to say it but Ay was definitely more physically intimidating than the Ol' Jiji. They managed to restrain themselves somehow. Hiruzen escorted the Kages to the guest quarters. Naruto and company returned to the Academy, they spent the rest of the day preparing for their last day as students.

/

"Nara-san doesn't look very happy. How did you get him upset with you so quickly?"

Two Captain's sat in their booth, watching the very dry commissioning ceremony drag on.

"Sleepy-head's too smart for his own good. Aizen-kun gave him a tour of the barracks last week. Little shit asked much of my workload I was planning on dumping in his lap."

Hirako Shinji, Captain of the 5th Division, gave his long blonde hair a tussle.

"I told him whatever Aizen couldn't handle was his. Nara had the nerve ta roll his eyes at me! We'll see how he likes it when I double his paperwork."

Shinji and Isshin clapped for the 25th time in a row, an automatic response at that point.

"You got Uzumaki right?"

Isshin glanced at the blonde, seated near the end of the line with the other students graduating as Seated Officers.

He nodded, "I did."

Shinji glanced over, "That's all ya got ta say? Aizen told me he's Mr. Popular at the Academy. Got everyone looking at him with doe eyes."

"That might be true. I'm sure you heard about this class's excursion gone wrong?"

"No one would shut up about it. If the gossips in my division didn't yap about it, it Yoruichi was bragging about how great the Uchiha was." Shinji pulled out a small bottle while he ranted. "Don't really understand the big deal about him, I know Sarutobi-san was gave a glowing review but as far as I can tell he's like any other genius. Although he's not a snob, so that's a positive."

"I'm intimidated by him." Was Isshin's only addition.

Shinji's bottle was frozen at his lips, a couple drops of sake falling onto his lips.

"Intimidated?" A sharp Hirako smile cut across his face. "Impressed I can understand, maybe jealous of his good looks." Shinji faced Isshin straight on. "But intimidated?"

Isshin reached out, not taking his eyes off the ceremony, and plucked the bottle out of his colleague's hand.

"I was nearby when he went into Shikai. I doubt Uzumaki noticed but his release left me a little concussed. His power… it's so dense. I felt like I was breathing in mud."

Shinji listened closely.

"Wasn't sure what I was expecting to see when he went head to head with that Hollow. Certainly didn't think he'd put it down in less than five minutes. It was surreal watching him fight."

"He's a genius, it's always surreal seeing fresh graduates cutting down hollows like they were born to it." Shinji dismissed.

Isshin shook his head. "This was different. Uzumaki wasn't acting on instinct, didn't let his power carry him. He fought like a seasoned officer. He carried himself like a Captain."

"Looking to retire Isshin? Getting sentimental in your old age?" Shinji's joke was undercut by his gaze, now locked on Uzumaki's back. He was trying to picture a white cloak and a number.

"Well Rangiku likes him, so my days are numbered." Isshin let the tension bleed out and the two Captains returned to making bad jokes at the expense of their new subordinates.

Down the row from them, the Captain-Commander took in the newest recruits from his seat. The Shinobi were holding most of the crowd's attention, not Yamamoto, he looked for worth in all the students. Nevertheless, his mind wandered to people like Uzumaki, Uchiha, and Haruno.

His meeting with the Kages had been mostly semantic. The Shinobi had informed the Gotei they would be offering their services to the districts. Yamamoto negotiated a fee that the Gotei would pay for the Shinobi to pass along information as requested, of if they discovered something that threatened the Seireitei. Central 46 wasn't satisfied with the amount of freedom Yamamoto had given them. While the 46 were the ruling body of Soul Society, they very rarely had a sense of what that truly meant outside the walls of their city. They preferred the Gotei focus on exterminating Hollows and keeping the balance; they had little care for the squalor of Rukongai. The Captain-Commander didn't particularly care either, his interest was in the potential Shinigami lost to the starvation, violence and hollows. If the Gotei was to remain strong it would need bodies, warriors. The Shinobi were an answer to his prayers. He'd have to be careful, guide them, mould them into a useful tool that Central 46 had little influence on. They were impressive warriors with great potential. One day they would act as Yamamoto's hand in the Rukongai and an elite force within his own ranks. Uzumaki would be the key.

Thoughts of a successor had periodically cropped up every few centuries. Yamamoto looked the part of wizened old man, naturally some would wonder who could replace him, who could fill the position that had been held by the man who had founded the Gotei? Many assumed either Jushiro or Shunsui would take up the mantle, Yamamoto hoped otherwise. He was confident his pupils would serve amicably but both had flaws that he saw as detrimental to the Gotei's future. Jushiro's health was too fragile, the Captain-Commander cannot appear weak before his enemies let alone his own soldiers. Shunsui was too casual, he was an effective commander but his lax attitude rippled down the upper tiers of his squad, as a Captain-Commander the Captains cannot be compromised, they must be disciplined (Shunsui himself had his history and prestige on the battlefield to counter his personality).

Uzumaki Naruto was ahead of Yamamoto's students in many ways. The blonde came with a dedicated base of supporters and potentially more as the years wore on. From what Yamamoto could gather, he'd spent his life acting as a military commander and political figure. He had been a student and a teacher, a soldier and a general, an assistant and an administrator. Uzumaki had lead a coalition of superpowers with a history of violence and duplicity. Perhaps most importantly, he had the raw power to secure the position. The Captain-Commander had to have both the respect of Central 46, and its fear. They knew that Yamamoto could scorch them and their entire families until nothing but ash remained, his restraint gave him authority, his successor would have to instill that same fear if they wanted to maintain the Gotei's autonomy.

Thinking back, Yamamoto recalled the last time he had truly demonstrated his power. It had been against the Quincy King nearly half a century ago, Chojiro had told him Central 46 had felt his bankai release and nearly went into a panic. The Council had been getting more demanding in the last decades, Yamamoto considered another show of power but discarded the idea. He could keep the nobles in check and satisfied in other ways, no need to make them paranoid.

Uzumaki made his way across the stage and gracefully accepted the document bestowing his new rank. Yamamoto had hoped the boy would take a lieutenant's post but a 3rd seat was acceptable, he'd be sure to keep tabs on him. Isshin was a natural leader who inspired nearly fanatical loyalty from his division, he didn't doubt Uzumaki would quickly find himself taken under his Captain's wing.

Yamamoto clapped for Uzumaki and all the other graduates. Yes, the Gotei would endure and his vision would see it become invincible.

/

 **A/N: End Of the 1st Arc! I've decided to retroactively call this arc, Transition. Thanks to all the reviews and suggestions. I'll be starting on the 2nd Arc, Rebellion, right away. There will be a time skip, so we can jump right into the juicy bits.**

 **In the meantime, please pass on your thoughts and how our shinobi will do in the Gotei. A reminder that this arc and the next one will still be in what I'm calling Pre-Exile, that is to say before the creation and exile of the Visored. I will also be handling some other Bleach timeline events such as the Shiba Clan's Fall and the filling of Captain positions.**

 **Thanks again!**


	13. Team Players

"Hey Pineapple!"

The annoying voice of his Captain shattered Shikamaru's otherwise peaceful nap. He was tempted to ignore him but Shinji had proven to be more attention-seeking than a baby. Shika would know, Shikadai had never fussed this much about being ignored.

Shikadai had been a pretty typical Nara growing up but there was enough of Temari in him that his boy could only laze about so much. Shikamaru had handed over the Clan Head position once he'd been confined to a bed. For once he was allowed to sleep all day and he couldn't enjoy it. Temari told him he'd passed in his sleep once the illness had claimed his lungs. He did regret not seeing his son married, his bet with Choji and Ino on if he'd gain a Temari clone as a daughter-in-law was pushed back until his kid arrived in Soul Society. Really, Shika was excited for his son's arrival, he'd get to introduce him to his grandparents and Asuma; they said that Soul Society was no promised paradise, but seeing Asuma had let Shika ignore the imperfections.

"Oy dumbass!" A brush knocked into his forehead. He opened his eyes as fast as he could, that is to say glacially. Standing at the door to his modest office was the 5th Division Captain in all his snarky glory.

"Yes Captain?"

"Get moving, I'm making an inspection."

"Why do you need me for an inspection?" Shika packed away the various reports sitting on his desk. The question was a formality, meant to keep Shinji busy so he didn't throw anything else.

"Cause someone needs to pay attention. You expect me to notice everything when I gotta deal with all my little minions?"

"Is Lieutenant Aizen busy?" Shika got his pens and ink out of reach before following Shinji into the hall.

"I got him writing up next month's patrol rotations, so I'm left with you."

20 years had come and gone since his graduation, so Shikamaru was used to these interruptions. Shinji would wander by in the morning and drop off any reports he didn't want to deal with, come back around noon and drag Shika with him for the rest of the day. Complaining and joking were Shinji's main styles of conversation, but Shika was a master of the complaint and Sai had inured him to insulting jokes decades ago.

The 5th wasn't a bad division. Most Captains had an eye for talent, it was the personality and skills that determined which students went where. Shinji liked to fill his ranks with a combination of successful hard workers and slackers who were smart enough to get by. Most people, regardless of their experience in the academy, couldn't handle Shinji directly. His Captain relied on Shikamaru and Aizen to act as filters for the regular officers. Shikamaru was lax but still meticulous in his work while Aizen was disarmingly charming, Shika couldn't help but compare him to Sai; except where Sai was painfully awkward and socially deaf, Aizen was empathetic to a fault and impossible to read. Shika could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen Aizen's persona slip. Shika's best guess what the Lieutenant was a psychopath who found it easier to operate with a mask, heavens know that Kakashi had been similar at one point.

"Don't forget to put some hours into your footwork alright? Dying because ya tripped over your own feet is very embarrassing. Haha!" Shinji finished "instructing" some junior Shinigami on how not to die shamefully since it embarrassed the Division, and through that him. His Captain really was a clown.

"Let's see how Lee-kun is handling the newbies."

The 5th Division's training yard was full that afternoon. It was tradition for the rest of the ranks to watch the new arrivals' first session with Lee. While Shika had taken the 3rd Seat, and a whole host of administrative duties, Lee filled the 7th Seat.

After the first few months, they'd finally settled into their roles, Shika following the Captain like a lapdog and Lee leading patrols. Lee being Lee, he resumed his insane training regime in full view of the rest of the Division. Seeing Lee do 500 laps of the compound on his hands convinced most of their fellow soldiers he was crazy, committed, or both. Lee was an oddity that more than one officer found entertainment in belittling. Lee being Lee, he didn't care to dissuade them from doing so. The backhanded comments got so out of hand at one point, Shikamaru was considering bringing his own authority to stamp it out. Again, Lee being Lee, he ended up solving it himself.

"Yosh! You all seem to have grasped the basic kata. You'll repeat it every day before your morning spars. Now grab some padding and pair up!"

"Yes Lee-Sensei!"

Lee hadn't been thrilled to learn he couldn't continue wearing his green Shihakusho, he'd compromised by donning a green and orange sash and his classic handwraps.

"Captain! How are you this youthful morning?"

Lee rushed over, Shinji hid behind Shikamaru before Lee got within arm's reach.

"I'm fine Lee-kun, how are the fresh meat doing?"

Shinji found Lee funny, he offered him a seat partly because he was curious about Lee's preference for hand-to-hand combat and partly because he wanted to unleash him on his more prickly officers.

"Quite well Captain. I plan on starting them off easy, only 20 laps around the compound running backwards!"

Shikamaru really enjoyed the looks of horror from the new recruits. They'd learn, maybe sooner if anyone from the 11th showed up.

The 11th Division had the highest concentration of sword-crazy morons in the entire Seireitei. When they got bored of beating each other senseless, they prowled through the other divisions like hyenas, looking for any opportunity to start a fight. Lee was like a beacon to them. Five had sauntered into the grounds, shoving off anyone who got close, then they came upon Lee doing one-finger handstands. The Shinigami thought it'd be funny to sweep Lee's arm out from under him. When the goon got sweeped and put on his ass instead, they weren't happy. Lee proceeded to challenge all five to a match, no blades. The 4th had gotten a pile of barely conscious meat sacks that evening and Lee had people begging to be his student.

It was a surprise that Lee's humiliating victory seemed to excite the 11th Division more than anger them. Every few weeks a couple of their lower ranked officers would meander over, looking to pick a fight with the "5th's Green Freak". They kept coming up with ridiculous nicknames for him too.

"Would you like to spar with me Captain? Give the recruits a demonstration?"

Shinji flash stepped back to the courtyard entrance before "spar" left Lee's lips.

"No, no, no. You'd be better off focusing on the youngins Lee-kun. Don't want them developing any bad habits would ya?"

Lee smiled, bowed then turned on his toes and marched back to his students, his shouts of corrections and encouragement wouldn't stop for the rest of the morning.

Shikamaru rejoined Shinji, "People are gonna start calling you a coward if you keep running from him."

"Then they can fight ol'bowl cut. Once was enough for me." Shinji grumbled.

The Captain had a habit of doing "personal evaluations" of new seated officers. In Shinji speak, it meant he would beat them into the ground to keep himself at the top of the pecking order. At least he had the decency to do it in private.

When he and Lee stepped into the ring, Shinji made a point of disarming him. Lee's sword skills, while more than adequate, were useless against their Captain. Shinji's mistake had been asking Lee if he'd like to continue, while exchanging his zanpaktou for a training sword. Shikamaru could've warned his Captain; he could've told him that while alive Lee had made it a habit to fight armed opponents. Not just random shinobi, but blade masters like Tenten and Sasuke. Shinji expected to have the upper hand, he probably hadn't fought on equal terms with a disarmed opponent before or maybe he just got cocky. That's why Shikamaru nearly coughed up a lung laughing when Lee broke their Captain's nose and wrist. The spar didn't involve Shikais or lethal moves so no one counted it as a real victory, though Lee did confess that seeing the Captain flinch for the next month was very satisfying.

After making their rounds, Shinji invited Shikamaru to his office for their routine break. Shinji would drink, either liquor or tea depending on his mood, while Shika would enjoy the snacks. Their afternoon breaks were also when the two had their more serious discussions. Shikamaru stopped questioning why Shinji's own lieutenant was always absent from these talks.

"When are the funerals scheduled?" Shinji asked.

"In two days Asaji and Nakazo. Mon's isn't for another week, her clan has some very specific mourning rituals, they'll expect you at their compound at midnight."

"Any news from your friends?"

"No other patrols have gone missing in the last 3 months. No patrols have gone missing with no bodies being recovered in the last 8 months."

Shinji hummed to himself as he read a few files.

"I want you to trace the patrol's movements and their last few outings."

"This was the first patrol with all 6 of them together."

"Track all of their individual patrol routes then. See if they all went to the same places, find some connection, there's one."

Shika slumped in his seat, "I'm gonna have to ask Aizen for access to the patrol rosters."

"Tell him you're doing a performance review." Shinji finished his drink.

Shikamaru looked at his Captain. Shinji was relaxed, completely at ease while ordering him to commit internal espionage. He'd been told that Shinji's clan, the Hirako, were simple textile and dye producers on the surface. Behind the scenes they were heavily involved in inter-clan politics and had a habit of sponsoring criminal enterprises out in the Rukongai. His Captain was far from squeaky clean.

"I used that excuse 3 years ago when you had me look into the missing equipment shipments. I could say you forgot to sign off on a mission report, but you couldn't tell which one?"

"Might work. Hold off for a few days though, I'll have to make up some fake copies that I 'left out' of finished reports."

Shikamaru rubbed his eyes, "What would you do if I turned out to be too soft hearted for this kind of dirty work?"

"I wouldn't have bothered with ya. I put my money on the fact that we needed each other. You needed an in with the Gotei, I needed someone with a level of… immunity from the Gotei's politics." That Hirako smile came out again. "Don't act so put out Sleepy-Head. I have it on good authority yer used to much worse than what I've been asking."

"Oh? What authority is that? You're drunken binges with Captain Shunsui and Captain Muguruma?"

"Mayyyybe. I'll tell you that my source passed along a couple o'names while you and yer friends were still in the Academy."

"You can't even remember the names of the other Lieutenants, I'm not surprised you needed a spy to remember ours."

Shinji twitched hard enough to spill some of his drink, point to Shika.

"Well I heard more than just surnames and given names. I heard titles."

"I didn't know you were one of Urahara's friends."

"Me and his Cat go way back. He's a terrible gossip you know. He told me that you Shinobi loved given people names, but only once they became dangerous enough to put a bounty on. Weird tradition, but who am I ta judge?" Shinji leaned forward. "How much was the price on your head?"

Shikamaru was about done with this talk, he still had paperwork to do and if he took any longer he'd miss cloud-watching at dusk.

"I was listed as A-Rank in combat, but the bingo books advised that go up to S-Rank if I was in command of a team. Near the end I had a 43 million ryo bounty on my head. I think that comes out to 86 million kan."

Shinji whistled, "What did ya do to earn that? Why'd they call you Kasai Yami? (Fire's Darkness)"

"Contrary to popular belief, running a military village isn't easy or clean. While Naruto made the major decisions and plans, more than most might assume, I was his primary advisor. When our enemies asked their intelligence operatives how they lost entire battalions of battle hardened men to numerically inferior forces, or why their latest coup fell apart, they were told 'Kasai Yami wished it to fail, so it failed'. They got it into their heads that if I was out of the picture the Leaf would act like a chicken without a head." Shikamaru laughed then. "Even while I was retired, some insisted that I was still managing things behind the scenes."

Shinji chuckled along, "You put the fear of God in them eh?"

"It was pennies compared to the S-Class bounties."

"Really? How much was Uzumaki worth?"

"Naruto's bounty got updated one last time after he became Gokage. I think it's cause his enemies just didn't have the money to make it higher. He spent a year dealing with would-be assassins, guess 300 million was too much to resist."

/

Iha Yoshiki walked down the damp corridor. Everytime he came down to this level he asked himself the same questions. 'Will he be in the corner? Will he be behind the door? Will he be sitting at his desk?' Relieving Uchiha-Senpai from duty was always exciting, the regular guards kept a tally, some trying to find a pattern that Iha was certain didn't exist. Uchiha-Senpai was unpredictable, it was a fact of life.

The corridor was filled with various doors, most barred and locked with no discernable differences. If a prisoner managed to get loose, unless they'd received training from the 2nd Division they'd be lost for days. Of course, if the prisoner was a former member of the 2nd Division the maze was somewhat counterproductive, but no system was perfect.

Iha stopped at one of the countless unmarked doors and waited. Knocking was against procedure, he counted the seconds in his head. The door quietly opened, gliding inward. Iha stepped in, eyes adjusting to the brighter light inside. The holding cells were fairly simple, a solitary desk in the corner facing a cage in the middle of the room. Closer to the cage you could feel the subtle effects of the numerous Kido cast on the bars. Iha observed the prisoner sitting in said small cell.

The figure wore a thin robe, no sleeves, only long enough to cover their privates. Their head was rolled back, the chains and cuffs keeping them in a kneeling position with their back straight. Around their skill was a complex mask, that covered their eyes, their ears and gagged their mouth.

"Ready to go Senpai?" Iha asked the empty room while he set out his own paperwork on the now empty desk.

Iha watched the form of a tall man with raven black hair step out of the the shadow of the door. He wore a black and purple cape over his uniform and black fingerless gloves.

"Have a good day Senpai, I think the Captain was asking about you at breakfast."

"Hn."

"I don't know why you tempt the Captain Senpai. You know she'll always call our bluffs."

"Can't help it." he commented as left the room, taking care to close the door behind him, leaving Iha alone. He quickly took out a small pamphlet and made a mark under the column named "Door".

Making his way away from the detention facility, Sasuke passed the various checkpoints back to the 2nd Division compound. It was early morning and the daily reports would be arriving soon. Sasuke stopped by his assigned bunk for a quick change of clothes then reported to the assignment desk.

"Uchiha-san, glad to see you in one piece!"

Waiting for him at said desk was the 2nd Division Lieutenant, Omaeda Marenoshin. The right hand of the 2nd Division was a large man, with a strong jaw, curly brown hair and a gut an Akimichi would admire. Despite Marenoshin's appearance the officer was a competent leader and a deadly combatant. Most Shinigami would think it unlikely, considering he wore a flashy purple shirt and a shining gold chain as part of his uniform. Sasuke was able to overlook the man's fashion choices, Naruto's orange fascination had proved that anyone can be stealthy if they tried hard enough.

"Hn. Is the Captain in yet?"

"I just finished sharing breakfast with her, she and Soifon are relaxing in her study."

Sasuke pulled out a packet from his robes and placed them on the desk. "I wrote up another set of security plans, pass it on for me."

"What did you do this time Uchiha-san? The Captain only puts you on detention duty when you really annoy her."

Sasuke's hair didn't completely hide the curl of his lip, "I accidentally left a milk dish out in the Captain's office."

Marenoshin chuckled, "Some day your little pranks are gonna go too far and the whole Divison'll get to see you go toe to toe with the Captain."

"Maybe that's my goal."

The few Shinigami moving through the compound let him pass, offered bows, a few muttered at his back. Sasuke made his niche at the 2nd Division quickly. Captain Yoruichi had a number of responsibilities once you added her Captaincy and Onmitsukido roles together. She needed information to act quickly and efficiently. Sasuke was one of her most reliable agents.

His rank of 3rd Seat meant he often oversaw duties for Yoruichi in-between missions for the Onmitsukido. Lines of loyalty were muddied in the 2nd Division, since the Onmitsukido was traditionally under the direct control of the Shihoin Clan, Yoruichi's captaincy bound the two organisations closer than ever. The Stealth Force was composed of roughly 5 Divisions worth of Shinigami, mostly drawn from specially selected Academy Graduates and a large number of Clans. Since the Uchiha nominally "served" the Shihoin now, Sasuke had been forced to undergo a whole host of separate tests and ceremonies to be accepted to the Stealth Force. His dual membership essentially required he be given a high-ranked seat, if only to keep him politically protected from other interests.

Sasuke wasn't sure what to expect from the Onmitsukido. The 2nd Division operated relatively normally, albeit with special duties related to the Gotei security. The Onmitsukido was distinctly more cut throat, reminding Sasuke of both ANBU and ROOT back home.

He walked past Yoruichi's personal quarters, giving the Shihoin guards his personal signal. Knocking first, he opened the door to the Captain's study.

"Sasuke! Just the broody crow I was looking for."

"Yoruichi."

"That's Shihoin-sama to you Uchiha!"

Kneeling beside his feline superior, was Soifon. The short assassin was Yoruichi's apprentice, since passing her initiation 10 years ago Sasuke rarely saw them apart. Other than her fanatical devotion to the Shihoin Heiress, Soifon asserted her disapproval of Sasuke and the Uchiha name often. The Fon were just one of many minor Clans that perceived the Uchiha as upstarts with no pedigree. Sasuke suspected Soifon's anger was mostly rooted in Yoruichi's reliance on him for her more dangerous tasks.

"Now, now, kiddies no fighting. Mommy loves both of you equally."

"My apologies Yoruichi-sensei!"

"Hn."

Sprawled behind her desk, Yoruichi tossed Sasuke a tightly wrapped package.

"Just a delivery this time. A Patrol Corp officer will meet you tomorrow night for the hand off. Then I want you to sweep wide into District 40 and 41 for the next week."

"What am I looking for?"

"Movements and stockpiling, I got a tip off that District 41 seems to be a gathering point for someone before they split off into the outer districts." Yoruichi explained.

"Just a week?" Sasuke repeated.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes, "Yes a week. If something comes up, I'll personally inform Sakura-chan and apologize."

"Sensei?" Soifon looked flabbergasted at the notion her almighty Captain would need to make amends for an order she'd given.

"Relax Little Bee. I'll bring you along and we can spend the day with Sakura-chan. Maybe get her to teach you a thing or two." Yoruichi cat-eyes were back, that usually meant she was cooking up some kind of scheme. It was also his cue to retreat.

"I'll be back in time, no need to bother Sakura."

"Now we have to show up. I'll make sure to bring Sakura a nice birthday gift!" Yoruichi yelled at his back.

Interacting with his Captain brought up memories of Anko, and reminded him how level-headed and reasonable his wife was. Though in comparison to Naruto and Sai, Sakura most likely thought the same of him.

/

 **A/N: Start of the new Arc. I've got lots of energy! Still trying to get a hang for fluid moment-to-moment narration but I'm getting there (I hope). This arc is gonna be focusing more on Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Shika, but the others will be making appearances.**

 **This chapter takes place after a 20 year timeskip and was supposed to bring all the characters up to date. But writing Shinji and Yoruichi is very fun so I decided to divide it up into 2 chapters. Next time Sakura and Naruto.**

 **CC welcomed, thanks for all your support!**


	14. Medicinal Reiatsu

Hospitals were not calm places. Just because you build a hospital in the afterlife, doesn't alter this fact. The major difference between the 4th Division Hospital and Sakura's past workplaces, Konoha and Yamagakure, was the mixture of general medical sections with added Emergency and Trauma wards. The 4th Division was a military institution used exclusively by the Gotei, with few exceptions. Their typical patients were recovering Shinigami, returning patrols and officers with fatal wounds. The 4th had a large morgue for a reason. It wasn't all doom and gloom though. They also handled general maintenance for the Seireitei, custodial services and manufactured medical supplies. Captain Unohana ran a tight ship, Sakura was hesitant to say better than Tsunade, they were definitely comparable though.

Sakura had been curious about Unohana's offer. It was unheard of for an Academy student to jump straight to Lieutenant. Then again, it was unheard for an Academy student to have a lifetime of experience as a professional doctor. It balanced out she supposed. Unohana hadn't spared her any time to settle in gently. Sakura's first week with the Division had her leading a Relief Team to the World of the Living. A 3rd Division party had been ambushed, the Hollow was easy enough to dispatch and the rest of the operation was by the numbers.

Sakura wasn't sure how accustomed most of the 4th Division was to live combat, not very was her conclusion. when her team returned they sung her praises to anyone who would listen. Soon after, Relief Teams were eager to have her join them. Unohana got so many requests she started flipping coins to determine rotation orders.

Aside from her field duties, Unohana had asked Sakura to take over the various instruction courses offered by the 4th. The 3rd Seat, Yamada Seinosuke had been in charge of it but he was better suited to keeping the Hospital and Relief Teams in order.

Sakura was making her way to her classroom now. The newest batch of recruits had graduated from the Academy, which meant that more senior Shinigami were free to pursue specialized training, like becoming certified medics. Sakura had been teaching for a decade now, she'd tweaked the course more to her liking over the years.

Reaching her classroom, she opened the door. The light chatter of the students slowly died down as Sakura arranged her things on the desk.

"Good Afternoon."

"Good Afternoon Uchiha-Sensei!"

"I'm glad to see so many familiar faces from the last round of certifications."

Sakura turned to the blackboard behind her, and wasn't convincing the 4th to import one from Yamagakure a hassle, along the top she wrote out the topic for the day's class: Introduction.

"Just to reiterate, this class will take what you've already learnt from the standard medic course and focus on preparing you for being able to operate on the front lines, not as part of a patrol or as backup. Combat Medics are deployed with the implicit expectation of hostile contact. Keep in mind that once you're certified as a Combat Medic, you'll be listed on the 4th Division's Emergency Relief Team roster. I want to start off with a question, there's no right answer, I just want your honest opinions."

She wrote on the board as she spoke. "Say you arrived as part of a relief team, there are several Hollows and the remaining Shinigami are fighting them but its a deadlock, neither side has the advantage. Laying on the battlefield is a pair of injured officers. You can't tell their condition, only that they're bleeding from several visible wounds." She turned back to her audience. "What is the first thing you do?"

It took a few moments before hands started rising. She nodded at a tall woman in the back.

"Assess the injured officers and try to stabilize them."

Sakura heard a few more answers, they all ran along the same lines. A few were worded differently.

"Stabilise and guard them"

"Move them away from the battlefield."

She noted them down on the board.

"You all have the right mindset for a regular medic… but not a Combat Medic. For the early part of my life I had a similar approach. In battle I thought the best way to keep my patients safe was to keep them out of danger until my teammates won or reinforcements arrived. It's a cautious mindset, one that's good if you're not confident in confronting stronger enemies. It won't last forever, being on the frontlines guarantees you will eventually have to fend for yourself, possibly others. I've come to call this the 'Passive' approach."

Sakura drew a large circle and wrote the word inside it, opposite it she drew another circle.

"This course will do more than just improve your medical skills. Over time I'm going to try and shift your mindset from passive," She labeled the empty circle. "to aggressive."

Sakura cracked her knuckles and set a hand on the pair of swords at her waist. Her dual Zanpakuto always drew attention. Comparisons to Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyoraku were a constant bother. She'd actually met Captain Ukitake after graduating, Captain Unohana had arranged it. The sickly Captain offered up the pair's personal notes on training to use two blades. A side effect being Sakura discovering that Ukitake's disease was seemingly incurable, needless to say she'd spent the last decade acting as his personal physician. Based on her correspondence, Tsunade was dying to get a look at him.

"As my old Sensei taught me. The fastest way to get patients out of danger isn't to run from a fight. It's to end the fight."

It may have taken a few tries, but her opening speech was pretty damn impressive by now.

/

Life in the Gotei was rarely boring for Sakura. She had things to do, people to see, and patients to cure.

"Critically wounded incoming!" A voice echoed inside Sakura's office, floating above her desk was a Hell Butterfly. "Lieutenant Uchiha, report to the Senkaimon. Relief Team 6 preparing to assist."

Couldn't she be allowed a break once and a while? Sakura rushed out, stopping to push her spiritual energy into the messenger, it would return and confirm the message was received.

The Shinigami's use of Kido to supplement a lack of technology was unique. Rumor had it that the 12th Division was working on a functioning Reiatsu powered generator. Sakura couldn't wait for phones, letters were terribly inconvenient.

Going through the hospital, Relief Team 6 fell into line behind her.

"Who is it?"

"3rd Division patrol, on a classified mission into the outer districts. No reliable info on what happened, the 2nd Division sent word the patrol was rushing back with wounded. Captain Unohana sent Relief Team 2 to intercept them."

If the relief team couldn't sufficiently handle the wounds, then it must be serious.

"Split into pairs, when they arrive I'll speak with their commander while you assess the patients to determine extent and urgency of their injuries. Where's the Captain?"

"In a meeting with Central 46, how long it'll take before they let her go is a mystery."

The rest of the Division had burst into action. Hallways were being cleared, rooms prepped and supplies collected. Sakura made her way through it like a leaf carried by the wind. There was no tripping or jostling and Relief Team 6 followed suit.

The emergency entrance was cluttered with Attendants and Nurses. Bags and stretchers held by nurses stood at attention, tense but prepared. Sakura had been very diligent about running the hospital staff through their drills, going so far as employing other Divisions to have false alarm simulations. Anyone unable to cope was rotated out of the principal attending staff, often to custodial or maintenance crews.

Sakura didn't have to say a word. Her team quickly organised the situation while she stood at the gateway watching with both her eyes and senses.

"Yonaime!" She called over Relief Team 6's leader.

Yonaime Mima had come a long way from being the Academy Nurse. After entering the Division she helped Sakura get up to date with the 4th's procedures and regulation. In return, Sakura had helped Mima grow as both a healer and combatant. Mima had been promoted to 10th Seat a few years ago, insisting that she would never have done it if not for her Lieutenants help.

"Yes Lieutenant?"

"If there's any need for amputation, as a last resort I want to try the Reattachment Kido."

"Are you sure Lieutenant?"

"I've got clearance from the Kido Corps. Get the artificial materials from lockup."

Mima returned, rolling a cart with a complex Kido lock with her. Sakura was inspecting the case's integrity when the patrol entered her sensor range.

"Ready up! 8 Shinigami incoming, Relief Team 2 is accompanying."

Running through the doorway was a crowd of Shinigami. Relief 2 had six Shinigami in various states of bandaging, of that, three were strapped into mobile stretchers. Sakura's people swarmed forward, the reception was overcome with chatter and occasional yells.

"Sakura!"

"Omoi, Asuma-sensei!" Sakura checked over the 10th and 9th Seat of the 3rd Division.

"We're fine Lieutenant." Asuma assured her. They didn't physically protest of course, they were smarter than that.

Sakura pulled up Omoi's sleeve. Sticking out along his arm was a large burn. Looking closer Sakura saw the telltale signs of a Kido burn. Looking at the two she asked, "What happened?"

"Classified Lieutenant." Asuma apologised.

Thinning her lips, Sakura asked a Nurse for some ointment and quickly bound up the two's scrapes. The patients were being moved further into the hospital. Mima approached clipboard in hand.

"Lieutenant, one of the patients, Taheiji Ebinuma, needs immediate surgery. His lungs are failing and most of his right side is suffering heavy internal bleeding. I've ordered him prepped for surgery."

"Good." Sakura nodded, taking the clipboard. "The others?"

"Raicho Tajima is unlikely to survive the night. Whatever she was attacked with has destroyed her circulatory system."

Sakura saw Asuma rub his face, while Omoi looked away.

"Please do what you can to make her comfortable." Asuma asked.

Mima nodded and hurried off. Sakura went through the written reports her team had done. She read through them twice.

"Sarutobi-san. These aren't injuries from a Hollow attack."

Omoi stepped up, "Sakura, we can't reveal anything until our Captain allows us. I'm sure you'll hear everything soon enough."

Asuma left to make his report, while Omoi went to visit the conscious survivors of his squad. Standing outside the operating room, Sakura took one last look at Mima's assessment.

 _Injuries all aimed at vital areas - skilled opponents - military experience?_

 _Burns are not natural - electrical and heat based - precise damage - has to be Kido_

 _Lateral wounds, clean edges - not Hollow claws - blades - length suggests katanas and spears_

 _Minimal reiatsu traces - not mundane weapon - Asauchi?_

 _Kido - Asauchi - Zanpakuto? - Escaped Prisoners?_

 _Traitors?_

/

 **A/N: Short chapter but after this stuff is gonna start picking up. Next chapter we'll see what Naruto is up to, and maybe someone will have an idea of what's going on out in the Rukongai.**


	15. The Messenger's Already Dead

In Naruto's opinion tea was a great way to start the day. Not the best way, Ramen was the best way to start your morning; but most people couldn't get away with having Ramen for breakfast everyday. Years ago he compromised with Hinata and switched to tea.

His breakfast, and the rest of his routine, was common knowledge in the 10th Division. New recruits were told that if something urgent happened in the morning, you were unlikely to find either Captain Isshin or Lieutenant Matsumoto. In that case, you would be best served by asking Uzumaki-san. He took his tea every morning on the east veranda, if you had a personal matter your chances were better if you brought him some breakfast from the canteen. Uzumaki-san would listen to you and if you had a reasonable request he'd do his best to help you out. If the recruits were doubtful, there were several dozen Officers who could attest to his kindness.

Today Naruto was not on the veranda. Instead he had opted to skip his morning tea and buy breakfast out in the city. He had the day off and was running some personal errands. He arrived at the Academy just before noon, near the gate he ran into one of his many acquaintances.

"Uzumaki-san, what are you doing here?"

Iba Chikane was the oldest-looking of the current Lieutenants. Her grey eyes, thin brows and the shock of grey in her otherwise black hair gave her a striking portrait. Her severe frowns and no-nonsense attitude was balanced by Captain Otoribashi's more lax authority. The few times Naruto had worked with the pair, he got the impression they were closer to partners than superior and subordinate.

"I wanted to drop something off with my wife. What about you Iba-san? Is the 3rd Division already scouting the new students?"

"There's no point in looking at them now, they've got no real skills. I'll wait until the gossip starts running before I get interested."

The two walked together towards the Academy main office chatting as they went, sharing snippets of information. Iba, being a Lieutenant, had enough duties that she couldn't always keep abreast of new gossip.

"Supposedly, Captain Hikifune received an invitation to join the Royal Guard." Naruto informed her.

"Really? Did she accept?"

"From what my source says, not right away."

"How do you say no to the Zero Division?" Iba asked.

"Very politely, and by promising to join after finishing up her current projects."

The two waited for the Academy secretary to approve the visit.

"Were you serving the last time a Captainship opened?"

"I graduated from the Academy the same year Captain Hirako was promoted. It seems the only position that frequently changes hands is the 11th Division. I don't believe a single Kenpachi has lasted longer than a century or two. It'll be interesting to see who applies for the 12th spot." Iba commented.

"You're not considering it?"

Iba laughed off Naruto's question. "Ha! If I did, Rose would forget he had a squad to command. I doubt I'd make the cut anyhow. I'm as strong as I'm going to get. No, I'll stay where I am and in a few decades pass off my badge and retire."

Their conversation was interrupted by the secretary giving them official passes to enter the school grounds for the day. Bidding the Lieutenant goodbye, Naruto made his way through the halls. He earned a fair share of looks and whispers from the students. He ended up in the female dormitory, looking at the empty reception desk.

"Can I help you sir?" A voice from behind him asked.

Turning, Naruto looked at the woman standing with a stack of books in her hand. The red uniform highlighted just how tall she was. Her silver hair actually went above his own, she had an inch or two on him.

"Yes, I was looking for Uzumaki Hinata. I only just realized that I don't even know if she's in class. Would you be able to help me Miss…?"

"Kotetsu Isane sir." She bowed her head while introducing herself. "I can check her room, who would I say is asking for her?"

"You can tell her Naruto is here with an early gift."

"I'll be right back."

Isane set her books down and disappeared down the hall. She returned with a beautiful woman in tow. Naruto's heart leapt when his wife's gentle cry of "Naruto!". He reached out and caught Hinata in a tight embrace.

"I hope I'm not distracting you."

"Of course not," Hinata replied. "I just finished going over some notes with Ino."

"Glad you're not slacking off."

Naruto passed over the small scroll he'd brought with him. Hinata took it without comment.

"What about the guys? Kiba and Shino making friends?"

"You know the boys. Kiba's got his own little pack following his lead. Shino surprised himself I think, he's found a niche with the Research & Analysis Society."

"Enjoy it while it lasts. Once you graduate it'll be nothing but paperwork."

"It can't be any worse than helping you with Genin team rosters."

A cough from the side reminded them they weren't alone. Isane stood by the desk with a blush on her face. The Uzumakis had stayed entwined while talking, Hinata slowly caressing Naruto's whiskers.

Shaking herself, Isane spoke up. "Not to interrupt Uzumaki-sans, but our Hakuda class is about to start, if we don't leave now we may be late."

"Didn't mean to hold you both up. I'll get out of your hair." Turning back to Hinata, Naruto tapped the scroll he'd given her. "That has all my modified Fuinjutsu notes. Ask the Council to send me back any improvements Inojin and the Seal Corps comes up with and I'll pass it along to Ce." With a kiss on the forehead Naruto left the women to their studies.

He was on the edge of the Academy grounds when he heard a soft bell chime. Keeping his full stride Naruto veered to the left, passing through a more secluded garden. Slouching in one of the tree branches was a scarecrow with silver hair. Naruto launched himself to the branch above his old teacher.

"How's being on the other side of the desk?" A dramatic sigh was the only reply. "Just a few more years and you'll be back to offloading your responsibilities."

Sitting up properly, Kakashi scratched at his mask. Naruto wondered how he explained it to the faculty.

"If I survived teaching you brats, I can survive anything. More importantly, are we alone?"

Closing his eyes, Naruto pushed his senses to their max.

"No one within hearing distance."

"Any chance you've miraculously created new privacy seals in the last few months?"

"Making seals work with Reiatsu isn't easy Sensei. Everything we brought with us relies on Ying and Yang chakra. Figuring out how to create fire without actually using heat or oxygen is tough, trying to translate sound waves and pressure? It'll take a few years."

"I guess dreams don't always come true." Kakashi practically melted into the tree. "Yamato just got back from a little vacation."

"Oh? Did he have a nice time?" Naruto asked.

"By all accounts it started out well. He took a hike deep in the woods, you know how much he loves his walks. It was especially quite this time, not a soul in sight the entire time."

"Sounds like Yamato's ideal break."

"Even Yamato likes the occasional conversation."

Naruto let that sink in. Yamato had continued to act as an agent for the Shinobi Council. Nowadays he helped train and lead special recon groups into the Rukongai, completing missions and gathering intelligence. If Yamato hadn't heard anything about the recent string of incidents from his contacts, then either it was just one big coincidence, or someone was keeping it hidden.

"How long was he gone this time?"

"Two months, give or take a week."

"Twice his usual trip."

"Like I said, he enjoyed the solitude. Absolutely no one around."

Sliding down the trunk, Naruto gave Kakashi a slap on the knee.

"I think it's time for a meeting with the Captain Commander."

"I'll let Darui know, he and Hoseki will be relieving Mai and Onoki soon."

Leaving the clearing behind, Naruto gave a thumbs up. "Great work as always Sensei! Take it easy and enjoy the light workload. Trust me, once you graduate it'll be nothing but paperwork. Like being Hokage all over again!"

"It can't be as bad as having to help you plan the Chunin Exams."

"I eventually got used to it."

"After your fifth year in office."

"Still counts!"

/

The Captain's Hall was a secure and solemn place. Nestled inside the First Division, it was maintained by a specially trained group of Kido Corps and 1st Division Officers that kept it free of intruders and dirt. The Hall's attendants were also responsible for preparing candles, clean furnishing and the occasional meal if any meetings stretched on. They were working overtime today, a General Meeting had been called.

Rarer than even a Captain's appointment and not enacted unless the Captain-Commander felt a situation warranted input from not just the Division Captains and Lieutenants, but their 3rd and 4th Seats as well. At the last General Meeting Yamamoto had informed his subordinates of his imminent departure for the Living World to confront a mysterious figure that the Commander only referred to as a "Conqueror". In the meeting, he detailed his plan of departure and ensured a copy of his will was sealed with all the Captains as witnesses, provisions were also made for an extended absence. Neither came to be, and the Commander returned on schedule.

"Right this way please."

One of these attendants was guiding the guests into the Hall, another rarity. Six Shinobi in fully equipped ANBU gear. Standard black Shinobi pants and shirts, with plating on their knees and elbows; the old flackjactes replaced with new hard plated ones, various weapons and tools would normally be concealed in the uniform but all but the most obvious had been left behind.

Leading the ANBU was two figures in Kage robes. Both of comparable height, one in green, the other in yellow. A dark-skinned man with grey hair and a mustache was speaking to the woman with brown bangs, green eyes and purple face paint.

"Don't be like that Darui, now isn't the time for you to forget parts of the briefing."

Sabaku Hoseki, the Rokudaime Kazekage, patiently admonished. Much like her Uncle Gaara Hoseki tended to speak with a flat monotone but had a subtle undercurrent of emotion. In this case, frustration. While Hoseki got along with Darui just fine, she preferred working with his successor.

"It's not my fault these Shinigami have such complicated standards. Trying to memorize everything was a pain in the ass. At least the Council meetings let us bring in paper."

The Kages' guide coughed, louder than necessary, and was soundly ignored by the two leaders. Though their conversation petered out after reaching the doors.

Inside the sacred chamber the regular seating arrangement had been modified. The regular lineup of Captains had been replaced with a single large mat with small side tables.

"Seems we're last." Darui commented.

The two Kage were led to a similarly large mat placed at the end of the lineup facing the Captain-Commander's chair. Settling down, Hoseki gave their ANBU the signal to retreat back to the shadows in full view of the Shinigami officers.

"Welcome Raikage, Kazekage." The creaking voice of Yamamoto greeted them.

Bowing, Hoseki replied. "It is an honour to be here Soutaicho."

Nodding in turn, Yamamoto clapped his hands and the Hall fell silent. The various attendants and servants vacated the area, leaving all attention on the scarred Commander.

"This meeting has been called to address the growing disquiet of the Rukongai and the string of incidents that have left our comrades dead and injured." Smacking his cane down, Yamamoto continued. "The worst possible conclusion has been reached, there is a rebellion brewing in Soul Society. This was confirmed by our scouts from the 3rd Division and the Onmitsukido Patrol Corp."

Looking over his council, he noted how the Captains and Lieutenants remained calm with a few of the 3rd and 4th seats reacting with shock and some fear.

"I have kept this information hidden so as not to cause a panic among the ranks. The latest attacks on our farthest patrols have shown that the threat is greater than I first believed. Captain Unohana?"

"The victims had wounds consistent with Kido spells, and their pattern of injuries matches with the Academy-style Zanjutsu and Hakuda." The peaceful Captain delivered her report without hesitation.

"Captain Shihoin?"

With atypical seriousness Yoruichi placed a weather worn katana in front of her.

"One of my men took this off a rebel scout."

Lieutenant Aizen leant forward from his place behind Captain Hiraka, "It seems to be releasing reiatsu, very weak reiatsu. Like a poor imitation of a Zanpakuto." He concluded.

"Correct. The scout it belonged to even managed to deflect a few strikes from a genuine Zanpakuto."

"This evidence points to some very disturbing conclusions." Ukitake commented. "These rebels not only have knowledge of our weapons and techniques, but they've received training as well."

The Captains, and occasionally Lieutenants threw out their own theories. The Kage added their own perspective and findings to the mix. Were these traitors drop-outs or rejects from the Academy? Had they captured loyal Shinigami and tortured them for their knowledge? Plenty of suggestion and possibilities were considered, yet none of them felt right. Criminal warlords had risen up before, but never with subtlety. Shinigami had gone rogue before, but never in large enough numbers and few ever escaped the 2nd Division's hunters for long. Reports and observations were presented and strung together, slowly a picture was forming. Years of random events, disappearances and irregularities began to lead the meeting down a timeline.

In the background Shinj kept his silence, he hated wasting breath on pointless jibber-jabber. He only stirred when a Hell Butterfly glided into the chamber. Focusing on the black spirit's wings, he failed to identify the markings. Straightening up, he drew the attention of Ukitake and Shunsui who took note of the Butterfly slowly floating to the centre of the meeting. From their reactions they didn't recognize the markings either.

"The Wakai…"

"Captain-Commander?"

Yamamoto stopped mid-answer, interrupted by a charismatic voice echoing from the Hell Butterfly.

"Listen well Shinigami!" It called out. "Listen, for I bring you truth! Our world is at risk, we are on a path that would lead to corruption and destruction, a path that we must turn away from. The weak and ineffective rule of Yamamoto Genryusai has crippled Soul Society. The Noble Clans have been stripped of their rightful rulership and dominion. The districts of the Rukongai have been left to rot in their own poverty. We, the Great Alliance, shall no longer stand it! The so-called Court of Pure Souls and the Central 46 are mere puppets of the dictator Yamamoto. I, Wakai Ono Patriarch of the Wakai Clan, alongside my allies shall sweep through Soul Society in the coming months and put this world to rights, as the Soul King intended." He was certainly charismatic, there was strength and conviction behind his words. "At this very moment, our declaration of war is being heard across the Seireitei. I urge not only my fellow nobles but the officers of the Gotei, join us! Reclaim this land and we shall remake it into a true paradise." He paused, as if listening to applause. "To the Shinobi listening, why settle for kneeling at the old demon's feet. The Great Alliance would raise you up as befitting your skill. Already some of your comrades have lent their expertise to our cause. Think on the future you wish for your people. Soon, there will be no turning back." The butterfly crumbled into dust, leaving the leaders of the Gotei 13 with silence.

/

In most cases after receiving news like that the room would have descended into chaos. People would have been shouting, rushing about, feeling compelled to do something. Panic was instinctual, an easy reaction to surprise. No one would have blamed the Shinigami if they acted that way when the proverbial rug had been pulled out from under them.

Wakai, a name most in the chamber knew by reputation alone. Tracing their origins back to the beginnings of Soul Society, they were a relatively minor family who made their living extorting merchants and working for larger Clans. Though the Wakai did not resist Yamamoto's rise to power, they disliked his brutal and undiplomatic mindset and typically stayed out of the Gotei's affairs. That changed when one of their own was elevated to Captain of the 7th Division.

An unspoken side-effect of having a Clan member don the white haori, is the prestige and privilege gained. In the Wakai's case, they suddenly had the leverage to negotiate better business deals and the political capital to push for higher positions and titles in the Seireitei. A decade of careful maneuvering allowed them to reach for the biggest prize of them all, a marriage into one of the Five Great Noble Clans. The Wakai Captain was betrothed to the youngest daughter of the Tachibana. In a matter of decades the Wakai had gone from a middling bureaucratic clan to a cousin of a Great Noble Family. Using their status they pushed and pushed, reaching out to influence, blackmail and control things beyond their means. It was the strength of their Captain and the clout of the Tachibana that kept them from falling short. All too quickly they forgot that Captains are not invincible.

Captain Wakai is mostly forgotten, his years of service so far in the past and mostly unremarkable. The only other footnote in the history of the Gotei about him is the fact that he was the first Captain to die at the hands of a Vasto Lorde.

Overnight the Wakai began to crumble. The betrothal with the Tachibana was broken off, many of their subordinates miraculously found new patrons to serve and were all too eager to reveal their former master's secrets. A handful of Wakai Elders were put on trial and executed and their treasury was gutted to settle their previously ignored debts. Thus, the Wakai faded back into the uncelebrated ranks of Soul Society's nobility.

/

"Bah! What a waste of time." The rumbling bass of Captain Kenpachi assaulted the quiet. "Just some upstart nobles, nothing interesting."

"You will be silent Kenpachi!" Yamamoto whipped at the crazed warrior.

The Captain-Commander was furious, the meeting chamber was noticeably warmer and the pressure of his Reiatsu was pushing against the walls.

"Central 46 is no doubt convening as I speak. All of you will return to your barracks, once there mobilise your Division for a possible invasion. This is a declaration of war. Irrevocable and unmistakable. It shall be answered appropriately."

"Hai Soutaicho!" His soldiers chorused.

"Kazegake, Raikage. I ask that you remain under the hospitality of the First Division. When I return, we can discuss the implications of this message."

Darui held up a hand, "I believe some of that conversation can be preempted by us saying that the Shinobi Council shall honour our agreement with the Gotei. If this Great Alliance is behind all the incidents we were discussing, then they are responsible for the disappearance of Shinobi as well. A crime we don't take lightly." His malaise persona didn't hide the harshness in his words.

Yamamoto stood, the rest followed him out of the chamber. Turning back one last time, the Captain-Commander spoke, "In piece we build our spirit, in war we break it. The peace and security of Soul Society is sacred, and these dogs have threatened it. When the sun sets on this battlefield, nothing shall remain of these rebels but ash."

The Captains and Officers watches as Yamamoto walked, without using his cane, towards Central 46's enclave. The morning dawn lighting the hallway a deep orange, the beams of light mixing to create a bright halo surrounding the oldest Shinigami in Soul Society. Woe to those who anger the Reaper Who Wed Fire.

/


	16. Job Well Done

The flapping of wings as the owl flew from its perch was ignored by Lord Mugi. A flick of the hand moved his column forward again, faster to make up for any time lost. They'd been making their way around the mountains for five days following the Gotei's movements, eager to ambush some of Yammamoto's sycophants. Tracking down the Shinigami scouts had been harder than Mugi imagined. From Lord Wakai's speeches the Gotei were thugs propped up by their reputation and little skill. Mugi and his peers were raised among nobles and social equals, they didn't interact with the trash that the decrepit Captain had allowed into the Seireitei. Even the Five Great Noble Clans had declined under the tyrant's influence. This hunt should have been over and done with by now and he should have been back at the base celebrating his victory.

Catching motion from his right, Mugi saw his friend Rahei frozen staring at the ground. Without lanterns, they'd been using the moon to navigate the canopy. Slowing himself he saw the shadows behind him come to a stop.

"Rahei," Mugi whispered. No response.

He shuffled over, keeping his sword tight to his waist. "Rahei, what is it?"

Still his friend stared down at his own feet. No, Mugi tracked Rahei's eyes, they weren't staring straight down but to the right. In the mix of shadows cast by the overhanging branches was a solid black shape that extended out of the bushes. It connected with Rahei's shadow, at the throat.

Mugi saw a small drop of blood on Rahei's foot, then another splashed beside it. His comrade's neck had a thin cut stretching from its side to just above the apple. Mugi reached for his sword.

The solid shadow moved, extending across Rahei and moving into Mugi's shade. He felt a harsh pain in his gut, grabbing at his stomach feeling his own blood soak through the uniform. Pain distracted him from Rahei's body falling limp to the ground, the thin line now an overflowing cut.

"Ambush!" Mugi cried, as he watched the black shadow pull back revealing a spear tip and plunge into Mugi again before he could shift away. Laying there with his stomach opened, Mugi heard the dim cries of battle and glory fade alongside his vision.

A few minutes earlier...

Letting his officers ready the rest of his troops, Shikamaru continued to stalk the perimeter of their ambush. He'd modified the standard Shinigami uniform, making himself quite recognizable to the rest of the Gotei. Even if they couldn't pick his face out of a lineup, they knew the 3rd Seat of the 5th Division wore a fur collar and had stud earrings. He adjusted the grip on his tanto while picking out the first and second in command of the enemy. They'd been running them in circles for a week straight now, pulling them farther and farther from the Grand Alliance base at the foot of the mountain.

He bided his time, waiting until the patrol began moving forward again. With one last glance confirming the positions of his soldiers, he laid his tanto against his knee. Concentrating, he sought out the small cabin and blue sky in his soul. Taking a deep breath tobacco smoke he thought, "Play Kumo Shogun!"

His tanto hilt began stretching out until it was as long as his arms, the blade itself lengthened only an inch or two. With his short spear now formed, Shika inched forward while still hidden. Behind most of the patrol he delicately extended his spear into the moonlight, ensuring his weapon was indistinguishable from any other branches. He smirked when the second in command froze, no doubt feeling phantom steel across his throat. Pushing past the urge to say "Possession complete" he timed his next strike to coincide with his 4th Seat's attack. When Ichimaru dropped from a tree sword out, Shika stabbed forward.

Making a note to confirm Mugi's death after the battle, he joined the fray. With the moon to his back, enemies across the battlefield had their limbs disabled or throats cut when they drifted too close to his spears place on the ground.

Shika watched Ichimaru cut down men left and right, that creepy grin visible the whole time. Honestly his fellow seated officer could be considered a psychological weapon based on that expression alone.

"Reinforcements from the west!"

Shifting his attention, Shikamaru scanned for the incoming enemy. When a trio burst into the clearing wearing black-dyed vests very similar to shinobi he was prepared. That he recognized the white-haired lead ninja didn't phase him. The Gotei knew that the Grand Alliance had recruited shinobi that refused to join the Enclave, how many was still a mystery.

He took one last stab, disabling a rather competent swordsman before intercepting the enemy nin.

"Hadō #1. Shō!"

The pulse of white reiatsu blew all three off balance while he landed in front of them. They recovered quickly and charged with weapons drawn. He wasn't sure what additional training these three had gone through but he would bet it wasn't more than how to enhance themselves with reiatsu.

Shika deflected the stab at his arm, flowing into a slash at the nin behind him. He was keeping them all at spear's length, waiting for an opportunity.

"A Nara huh? Always thought your clan was too smart for their own good." The former academy sensei, Mizuki, taunted him. For Shika it was just the opening he needed.

"I can agree with you on that." Throwing himself backwards, Shika slashed the dirt underneath him leaving a gash in the ground and Mizuki's shoulder. With their positions switched, the moon was on Shika's face now.

Clutching his wound Mizuki growled at his teammates, "Get behind him!"

The woman only made it a few steps before her ankle was severed, her movement bringing her shadow closer to his spear tip. The second man was sent unconscious by hit into his silhouette's temple.

"Even in death Konoha makes my life miserable."

Mizuki pulled a large metal star off his back that was no doubt supposed to be a Fuma Shuriken but resembled a chunk of sharpened metal more than a ninja tool.

"You'll be my first trophy!"

Taking care to keep his shadow out of reach he threw the shuriken in a wide arc and when Shikamaru brought up his spear to block it, made a mad dash forward. Pulling his sword back with a vicious grin, Mizuki's smile froze as a throwing knife took out his foot and a blade bit deeply into his back sending him careening to the ground.

"You get lost on the way Sensei?"

Asuma looked up from where he was wiping some dirt off his katana.

"Opposite actually, I ended up in the middle of the rear guard."

Sarutobi Asuma, 9th Seat of the 3rd Division, kept very little from his living appearance. His facial hair was a little neater and his zanpaktou had a white sash wrapped around the guard with the kanji for fire. It was a little strange to still be called Sensei, he thought, considering that Shikamaru had lived twice as long as him.

Taking a quick scan of the battle, it looked like the Gotei has gained the upper hand but taking any more casualties would put them in rough condition for their return to friendly territory.

"Let's finish this up Shika."

His old student finished securing the unconscious enemy ninja and nodded. Taking positions, Shikamaru stood with his spear held extended as far as he felt comfortable. Asuma crouched behind, bringing his sword to his mouth.

"Warm Kusuburu Nen. (Smouldering Memory)"

A flash of smoke sprang from the hilt and covered his sword and hands. When it cleared his katana had shortened by a few inches and the hilt was a copy of his old trench-knife knuckle grip. Shaking the pommel, a single cigarette fell out and was smoothly put in his mouth and lit.

Asuma took a long drag and held it in, giving Shika a nod.

"Gotei!" the Nara yelled, "Blaze!"

The codeword for a large scale attack that might cause friendly fire. Shikamaru's forces had been trained to retreat as quickly as possible to get out of the blast zone. Both former Shinobi were impressed with how quickly the troops disengaged.

With the field cleared, Asuma let the ash built up in his lungs explode out in between him and Shikamaru. He swiped down and the moment his katana touched the cloud it sparked and created a huge fireball.

"Haihoka! (Ash Beacon)"

The small forested path, littered with more than a few bodies was bathed in warm light completely overpowering the moon. Every single Grand Alliance member still standing had their shadows solidified by the strong flame. Being closest to the source, Shikamaru's shadow was now a distorted giant. Taking a huge swing Shika pumped reiatsu into his spear making the shadow split into three separate end, resembling a rake.

"Kumo Tsume. (Shadow Claw)"

His spear shredded through cloth and flesh, unstopped by swords and armour. The 20 or so Grand Alliance left standing fell to the ground one after another.

Watching Ichimaru take charge of recovery and taking prisoners, Shika sealed his zanpakuto.

"Want a smoke?"

"Let me roll them."

Getting the cigarette ready allowed both men to take a breather. Comfortably settled, smokes lit, they began discussing their next steps. They were interrupted by one of Asuma's officers.

"Sir! Shinobi messengers have arrived with marching orders!"

Asume motioned for the Shinobi to come forward. A group of five with Enclave plates stepped out of the shadows. Shikamaru smiling when he saw their leader.

"Inojin, get over here."

The blonde Yamanaka had taken after Sai in facial features but had grown into his mother's slimmer figure. Sportin pale blue eyes and white skin, Inojin grew out his hair in adulthood into the long ponytail signature of his mother's clan. Wearing standard Enclave armour, with two medium sized scrolls strapped to his back, Inojin was a distinct figure while alive, especially with his eventual apprenticeship to Naruto after becoming Chunin.

"Nara-san, Sarutobi-san." Inojin handed over a sealed message.

"Oh, Inojin you haven't met Asuma-sensei yet have you?" Shika asked while breaking open the message.

"No but it's a pleasure to meet you, Mom used to tell me stories when I was young."

Asuma rubbed his beard, "Coming from Ino I can't even begin to guess what she told you. How are things in the Enclave?"

"Going well, I heard from Choji-jisan that we'll be deploying Jonin squads to reinforce the forts in the next few weeks."

"That'll be a welcome sight. Have you heard anything from the other Konoha 12?" Asuma asked.

"With most of the front line stabilised, I imagine Naruto, Lee and Omoi will be part of the upcoming push, Sakura will be taking charge of the medics, and Sasuke will be who knows where." Shikamaru answered for Inoijin.

He gave his pseudo nephew a nod, "Inoijin and his team will be accompanying us back to District 44, then we'll be reorganized to follow the next assault. Ichimaru!" he yelled, "we're leaving in 15, get the injured stabilized!"

Ichimaru didn't deign to respond vocally, just tilting his eye and giving the unimpressed Shikamaru a big grin.

"Troublesome."

Turning to join Asuma and Inojin plotting out their path, Shika was just thankful that his Captain had kept Aizen with him back in the city. Having to watch both him and Gin would have been too much.

/

District 52 was a thick expanse of chipped hills and thick rooted groves. Enclave surveyors had described it as a fusion of Earth and Fire country. While District 10 certainly had features reminiscent of the Elemental Countries (forests, lakes, mountains) it was comparably mild to what most Shinobi recognised. He'd heard Kumo-nin judge the peaks lacking in height and the storms weak, Kiri compared the lakes to ponds, Iwa scoffed at the boulders and cliffs, Suna bundled themselves tight under anything but the hottest days, and those from Konoha looked at the twigs that passed for trees and dreamed of house sized logs.

In contrast 52 was a truly hostile environment. The trees were thick and pressed together so tightly the air itself was squeezed between their trunks. These green pockets grew in the steep valleys formed by rocky plateaus with no sign of water or plants overtop. It had no villages or hamlets, only desperate souls fleeing closer or farther from the Seireitei. For the moment it was also the front lines.

The Gotei had quickly pushed back the initial invasion from the outer districts and chased the Grand Alliance out of the inner Rukongai. It was smooth sailing until an entire platoon from the 13th was slaughtered after coming within reach of the Alliance's forts, scattered across the district. Any attempts to bypass the entrenched army was met with success by small stealthy groups, but any more than 50 Shinigami couldn't go unnoticed for long.

Wakai's declaration had come two months ago, long enough for the Central 46 to declare a state of emergency and give the Captain Commander carte blanche to put down the Grand Alliance. The normally tight purses of Soul Society's noble clans spilled open. Supplies and manpower doubled overnight, this new found support was responsible for the extensive base camps the Divisions now had spread counter to the enemy forts.

One in particular was nestled near the heart of the Gotei's line, and was home to no less than 300 Shinigami awaiting orders from their battalion's leaders, holed up in the largest tent of them all.

"Gonna be a big day eh?"

"That's not how I see it Uzumaki-san."

"How would you describe it then?"

Through the wicker helmet his fellow officer took a sniff of air.

"It will be a bloody day."

Naruto nodded, "You have good instincts Komamura-kun, very good instincts."

Cracking his back Naruto stood up, taking a moment to admire the camp set up around him sprawled out under the night sky. He'd seen the Daimyo's army use staging grounds like this but Shinobi, even in large numbers, were far more subtle.

Taking charge of Tento Battalion had been a return to old form. Naruto had decades of experience with the paperwork, supply routes, training schedules and morale management that came with running a war. Without Shikamaru he had to rely on his new companion, Komamura Saijin.

He had to admit, Komamura had quickly gotten on his good side. The "man", because Naruto wasn't sure what he was exactly, had some very admirable traits. His division had nothing but good things to say and when Captain Aikawa recommended him to lead the 7th Division soldiers on the front Naruto readily took the 4th Seat into his counsel.

"We have a few hours until dawn. The guards should be taken care of once we reach the target. I'll breach the wall, you take the Kidou Corps and some long-range specialists to isolate the rear garrison. From there we'll need to disguise ourselves and keep word of the occupation from spreading. With any luck, the Alliance won't know their lines been broken until our reserves arrive."

Smiling at the well thought out plan, he gestured for Komamura to give his own opinions. It was like pulling teeth to get the large warrior to speak, but once he got yapping he had plenty to say.

"Are you confidant the perimeter guard will be gone once we begin our approach? The reputation of the Onmitsukido is well-earned but from my understanding only a small squad was attached to us for the duration of our deployment."

Touching up the orders for his squads to begin readying themselves, Naruto took his time answering Komamura's concern.

"I get where you're coming from Koma-kun," it was a testament to how far he'd had gotten under Saijin's skin that he didn't react to the nickname. "Wiping out watchmen is usually risky. All it takes is one missing man to be noticed and everyone goes on alert. With who's leading the squad, we don't have to worry about the enemy finding out."

"You're that confidant in those agents?"

"I'm confident in my friend." Naruto corrected.

/

"Incapacitate the three northern guards, when I arrive make sure their eyes are open and ready."

His squad was dressed in the same black suits as he was so there wasn't much to be gained from seeing their reactions. The Executive Militia was the Omnitsukido's main combat force. It was too large to have distinctive animal designations like ANBU. Instead, they were divided by numbers into battalions and individual units. Sasuke's official codename was 156, he was the leader of unit 5 from battalion 6.

"Next 3, 6, and 8 will travel clockwise around the perimeter and double check initial recon for any changes while 2, 5 and 7 prep the next group."

Sasuke had never been part of ANBU. He wasn't bitter about it. The fact was no matter what Sasuke's service record was like ANBU could not accept a former missing-nin into its ranks. Their agents were loyal to a fault at the worst of times and combined with Naruto's personality they'd become eager attack dogs while he wore the hat.

He was sure more than a few of the captains swallowed their tongues when the Hokage had made a surprise visit to headquarters with the Last Uchiha in tow. A few undoubtedly bit into their cheeks when their beloved leader cheerfully informed them that the pardoned criminal would be running the entire corps through an intensive training program. Kakashi's presence as an observer only cut the sabotage attempts in half.

The Omnitsukido was a different beast from ANBU. Hidden Villages used their shadow corps to perform mission too important or too politically dangerous for regular ninja. It was essentially a private roster of highly specialised and tightly controlled agents. They were trusted to protect the Village's secrets and handle the work that would otherwise damage morale. The brainchild of Senju Tobirama was so effective that the other Hidden Villages copied it in short order.

The Omnitsukido were the personal soldiers of Central 46. An internal police force that operated as an entirely separate entity from the Gotei until the promotion of Captain Shihoin to the 2nd Division. Sasuke suspected that Yoruichi's captainship had been a power play to let the Onmitsukido use the 2nd Division to support their own operations. It had worked in any case, the 2nd was a mess of soldiers part of both organisations. Whose loyalties ranged from Central 46 to the Shihoin or the Gotei. It was a dangerous place to be. Sasuke hadn't had this much fun in a long time.

He slipped the map back into his breast pocket then flashed his hand out and the entire squad scattered. Sasuke unstrapped the one distinctive feature that identified him, his blade. Traditionally the Executive Militia ignored Zanjutsu in favour of Hakuda, they taught that hand-to-hand combat made for more discreet and versatile killing.

His zanpaktou had a dull grey handle and black sheathe. The only colour was from the guard, a mix of white and red metal forming the Uchiha Fan.

"Overcome Shin Hirro. (Watchful Spirit)"

The katana flexed and straightened. The Uchiha fan folded down as the handle flattened. When he first released his Shikai he'd spent an entire afternoon just marvelling at the perfect Chokuto it became, even better than the one he'd forged after returning to Konoha.

In the polished surface he could see the spinning tomoes of his Sharingan. Though could it really be called the Sharingan? He couldn't activate it on a whim, he couldn't track chakra or reiatsu and as far as he knew they couldn't evolve.

He put away his Chokuto and followed his squad out of the cave they'd rested in. Quickly skimming over the shallow gaps in the plateau, Sasuke stopped at the edge overlooking their target. He used a small telescope to track his people's progress down the hill.

The fort itself had four sturdy stone walls reinforced with kido and bakudo but nothing stronger than a 30th level incantation. Inside was a well organized military camp with the capacity to house up to 200 soldiers comfortably, 300 at the maximum. Judging from the condition of the structure it had been in place for a decade, maybe longer.

He watched impassively as his subordinates silently immobilized a three man patrol that was walking along the edge of the fort's visibility. Taking two steps he vanished from the overlook and stopped in front of the captives. Their nerves from the neck down had been disabled. Ignoring the frantic breathing, Sasuke locked eyes with the night's first target and called up his reiatsu, a crow's call echoing in his heart.

"Nagakoro (Flowing Mind)."

A brief flash of red and the watchmen settled, completely docile like his comrades after him. Brushing the dirt off their uniforms and restoring their muscle control, the Onmitsukido let the patrol continue on their route. When the first rays of the sun hit their skin they'd go catatonic until Sasuke reawakened them, probably in an interrogation cell back in the Seireitei.

Going on ahead he hid in the shadow of the fort, then carefully applied a dozen or so paper seals. Pushing a sliver of reiatsu into them to activate the chameleon aspect that blended them into the walls. 3 had asked why he was personally applying the sealing tags, he'd given some excuse about seeing the best weak points while in Shikai. Truthfully these tags were only the second set that Naruto had approved for field use and experimental fuinjutsu shouldn't be handled by someone with no sealing experience.

Pulling away, he kept a tight hold on his spiritual pressure while retreating. No alarms had been raised, none of his squad was compromised and they made it back to their cave with minutes to spare.

"You'll want to watch this." He said to them, interrupting their packing.

"Watch what?" 4 asked.

"My daughter always told me to stop and enjoy the little things. We're going to admire a job well done."

Standing well out of sensor range, Squad 5 of the Executive Militia's 6th Battalion watched as the sun kissed the peaks of the fort and the entire base came crumbling down.

/


	17. Youth, Is it a Number or a Lifestyle?

His sword was slipping out of his hand. After Momo first taught him how to hold a bokken, before he'd even applied for the Academy, Hitsugaya Toshiro committed himself to always keeping control of his weapon.

During his spars with Rangiku, she used to say his weapon was too long for his body. It was a source of pride that he'd never been disarmed. His short stature was made up for with skill and strength. Yet now on the battlefield when it mattered most, his sword was slipping out of his hand.

Lunging backwards, he moved out of reach of the spear trying to skewer him. Pushing his reiatsu into his hands Toshiro felt the warm blood harden, slightly freezing.

Battle was the greatest teacher, Uzumaki always said. The 3rd seat was right, he'd just learnt not stab so deeply into a stomach. Hollows didn't bleed this much or as quickly. They also didn't die from gut wounds and nearly crush him in the process.

He waited for another stab then redirected the spear to his left and broke the shaft with his elbow. In the same motion he swiped at his opponent's outstretched arm, severing it at the elbow. Switching focus, Toshiro cut into the side of a distracted swordsman dueling with one of the 7th Division's lower seats.

"Hitsugaya!"

Uzumaki's voice was the loudest in any room, even here. Shunpoing up a nearby chunk of wall, Toshiro spotted his commander standing over top the breach they'd used to enter the fort. Taking a quick breath, checking that his own spiritual reserves were still in good condition he took another flash step up.

"Uzumaki-san, I think we've secured the entrance."

Uzumaki smiled. A splash of dirt and dust covering his neck and back, most likely from when he ran into the collapsing wall, after Soul King knows what caused it to explode!

"Glad to hear it. I just got word that Komamura is in position and our second wave is ready at the flank. Grab five or six officers then follow once I go after the west wall."

In short order, Toshiro had assembled his small team. Each could hold their own against multiple opponents, another change after Uzumaki's appointment. Combat drills were no longer limited to one on one duels. Their blonde superior enjoyed throwing the Division's best warriors up against 2-1 sometimes 3-1 odds. People, Toshiro included, had thought Uzumaki was just trying to burst their egos. After today's battle Uzumaki was getting a thank you present, maybe some food. Rangiku said he was nuts for ramen.

"Our orders are to watch Uzumaki's back. The moment you see him hit the enemy don't let him be surrounded."

"He's going to take the wall on his own?" The 7th Division's 19th seat, a woman who looked quite out of it, asked.

"Don't be ridiculous." Toshiro explained, "He's going to draw their attention."

Any other questions were cut off by an explosion of Reiatsu flooding the air.

"That's Uzumaki's Shikai. To the tower!"

The team cut their way across the battlefield, not stopping but having running duels with the enemy. Outpacing their pursuers and using their cohesion to overwhelm the ones quick enough to catch up. Toshiro could sense Uzumaki moving twice their speed, despite being on his own deep in the enemy's ranks.

Another wave of Reiatsu drew more attention to the west. Leaping higher, Toshiro surveyed the fort from the sky. Uzumaki was easily seen, there was a ten foot circle cleared around him as he sprinted, anyone that stepped in his path was either sent straight to the ground or thrown back into the perimeter. What really caught his eye was the glaring sight of a bright red coat just north of Uzumaki.

The Gotei's deployment briefing made it clear that the Grand Alliance displayed ranks by colour. Grey was for foot soldiers but red denoted their version of a Gotei seated officer called Captains, a clear jab at the vaunted Division leaders. This captain seemed intent on single handedly slaughtering every Shinigami near her, and she was doing a good job of it.

"Hitsugaya!"

Toshiro was alerted by the shout, he realized how far he'd fallen behind his team.

"Cover Uzumaki!"

Without waiting for a response, Toshiro kicked off a piece of rubble and rocketed in the direction of the Red Captain. Landing in a dead sprint, he was too late to stop the Captain from slitting the throat of a wounded Shinigami. He wasn't able to take her by surprise either.

His stab was smoothly knocked aside and a knee slammed into his gut. Toshiro used the momentum from that hit to roll out of her reach. She was quite tall and her armour hid how much muscle she had. That knee had definitely bruised a rib.

She didn't give him a chance to recover and he was quickly locked in an intense duel where his height was a distinct disadvantage. Toshiro was on the defensive for most of it, and the longer their battle lasted the more familiar her zanjutsu became.

"Traitor!" Toshiro spat.

"Oh the mindless dog can speak? Good to know!"

A feint nearly took Toshiro's leg off at the knee, he scored a cut on her thigh in turn.

"The dog can fight too." She taunted.

Hitsugaya was doing his best but he'd been on the front lines for hours and his opponent was approaching Lieutenant strength. He was in a bad position, but they couldn't afford the Red Captain intercepting Uzumaki before he could open the way for reinforcement.

Centering himself, Toshiro resolved to take a risk if it meant he could guarantee victory.

"Sit Upon The Frozen Heavens, Hyorinmaru (Ice Ring)!"

His reiatsu cracked and chilled, spilling down his spine and into his organs, cooling his blood and nearly freezing his sweat. His sword lengthened slightly and a crescent chain fell to the ground now attached to its pommel. Despite having achieved Shikai relatively quickly, he had a great deal of difficulty controlling it. Captain Isshin joked that if he wasn't careful he'd end up turning the barracks into an iceberg.

Judging from the enemy's expression he'd caught her off guard. Seizing on her hesitation Toshiro made a fast lunge for her legs. She was experienced enough to shift away from his blade. He'd been counting on her reflexes though, with the tip of his zanpakuto pointing down he unleashed a blast of ice that coated the ground around him. Balancing on the flats of his feet, he rushed his enemy head on.

"Don't be so confident child!" She yelled.

Her footing, which had slipped on his ice sheet, was suddenly righted. It was too late to slow down. Her blade wasn't in a position to do more than hastily protect her ribs.

"Aaagh!"

Toshiro couldn't keep his grimace down. She'd intentionally left one hand free and chopped his collarbone. On instinct he poured more energy into his sword covering her right side with ice as he skated backwards.

The fighting around them had cleared away when Toshiro froze the battlefield, leaving the two of them on their own. From his perspective they were nearly even. She was definitely 2nd Seat, maybe even Lieutenant level, but he wasn't far behind. With his ribs and collarbone injured and her side immobilized Toshiro hoped it would be enough to inch out a lethal blow.

"Dogs like you make me especially angry." The Red Captain used her zanpakuto to balance. "At least I have an excuse now."

'Excuse for what?' Toshiro asked himself.

"Strangle The Light From Their Eyes, Errinu! (Collared Dog)"

Toshiro tightened his guard, he couldn't see the Red Captain go through any physical changes. Her zanpakuto stayed the same, but she'd definitely released her Shikai.

Her sword swept down cutting only air. The vice that clamped onto his legs caught him flat footed and Toshiro slammed into the ground while being dragged across his own ice. He had no chance to free himself, the invisible grip disappeared as he sailed face first into the fort wall.

Everything went quiet. All Toshiro could see were white spots and what might have been the sky. As his senses slowly returned, Toshiro realized it was in fact the sky he was seeing and it was moving quite fast. No, he was moving quite fast. The ground was raking his back and the occasional rock cut into his neck.

"It's always a shame to put the dogs like you down, little one. You have so much potential."

The Red Captain hoisted him upright and leaned him against a piece of rubble. Toshiro tried to lift his sword. A boot slammed down on his wrist.

"Now, now pup. None of that, take your beating and be thankful. You're going to die here instead of at the hands of some Hollow. I promise, I'll be more merciful."

Toshiro let his head fall, 'I'm sorry Momo, Rangiku, Uzumaki, Captain.'

The cries of his comrades were echoing across the battlefield. The explosions of kido and bakudo, the clashing of swords and spears, the battlecries of friends and foes.

Blinking, Toshiro could swear that one cry in particular was getting louder.

"oooooth!"

Raising his head, he looked at the Red Captain. She lined up her sword with his throat. Toshiro saw her hand flex and draw back when the battlecry shifted from hazy mess to sharp clarity.

"Yooooooouuuttthhh!"

The Red Captain let go of his collar, Toshiro felt his body drop as a blur slammed into her elbow. She spun away sliding along the ice underfoot clutching her arm. Propping himself up on a knee, Toshiro grabbed onto his saviour's arm.

"Shinigami-san are you alright?"

"I'll make it through the day, thanks." Toshiro replied.

"Stay close, I'll get you to our wonderful medics."

"Oh no, you dogs aren't getting away that easy!"

Again Toshiro fell to the cold ground, the Red Captain's stab narrowly missing his kidney. Separated from his ally, Toshiro could only watch as the older Shinigami held off the Red Captain by himself.

The newcomer had a rather bizarre bowl cut, and a peculiar obi made of orange fabric. His zanpaktou was sealed but had distinctive iron rings around the hilt and a single piece of jade for the guard.

Toshiro was worried, if he didn't recognize the Shinigami that meant the officer probably wasn't very highly seated which meant the Red Captain would tear him apart.

The stranger was fast, deflecting the Red Captain's fluid strikes. On her last strike, the Red Captain made a overly-wide cut that left side wide open. Recognizing the trick, Toshiro tried to warn the Shinigami.

"Her Shikai! It's some sort of invisible tether!" He shouted.

The Shinigami's very thick eyebrows furrowed, and locked onto his enemy's blade. It was too late, Toshiro saw the man's arm jar to the side. But rather than throwing him to the ground, his arm flexed back. The Red Captain's sword was pulled forward this time.

Gritting her teeth, the Red Captain flicked her wrist and jumped back. She lashed out with her sword again, aiming for the Shinigami's leg. The invisible line ruffled his pant leg as it found a new grip.

"I like it better when my enemies are on their knees!" She shouted.

The Red Captain's next pull had a perceivable increase in reiatsu. Toshiro could almost see the energy transfer along the Shikai connection, the Shinigami was fast but taking the brunt of a Lieutenant-level attack would probably cripple him. Unless the bowl-cut man could-

"Resist Time's Passage Kizuato! (Scarred Mountain)"

-release his own Shikai.

'Who is this man?' Toshiro thought, 'He definitely wasn't a Lieutenant, Toshiro was sure he wasn't a 3rd or 4th Seat. A Kido Corps member? An Onmitsukido agent?'

The Zanpaktou's jade guard lit up and the entire weapon glowed a rich green. When the light dissipated the sword was gone and in its place was a Monk's Spade, with iron rings covering the shaft. Flipping the spade around, Bowl-Cut sunk the flat end into the ethereal tether wrapped around his leg. The tension snapping caused both warriors to stumble.

Pushing himself forward, Toshiro ran to stand side by side with Bowl-Cut.

"I appreciate your help. I'm Hitsugaya, 4th Seat, 10th Division."

"A pleasure to meet you Hitsugaya-san, I am Rock Lee. I have the honour of serving the 5th Division as their 7th Seat."

Toshiro swore that the glare from Rock's teeth was reflecting off his sword.

Their greetings undercut their staring contest with the Red Captain, who had been carefully circling the two of them.

"A pleasure Rock-san. We need to hold her off until my superior can get through the west wall."

"This enemy shall not be able to stand against our combined might, we shall overwhelm her!"

'At least he's motivated' Toshiro conceded.

"You are injured, Hitsugaya-san. Let me take the lead, when you see an opening use as much of your ice as you can to immobilize her. Don't worry about catching me in the process."

Lee tapped his Zanpaktou against the ground once, then exploded at the Red Captain.

Now aware of the enemy's Shikai, Lee used his longer reach and the crescent blade tip of his weapon to avoid the tether's grip. With her advantage neutralized, the Red Captain's true skill level, a mid-level Seated Officer, became clear as Lee kept her on the back foot. Toshiro saw Lee mouth something, and his entire staff electrify and when her slammed the flat end into her shoulder, the Red Captain's entire arm seized up.

The opening Lee talked about was subtle. Toshiro watched the Red Captain's wrist get pinned to her hip, immobilizing her blade.

'We'll end this now, Hyorinmaru.'

Pooling his reiatsu into his blade, Toshiro felt the comfortable chill frost over his fingers. Lunging forward, Toshiro thrust his Zanpaktou forward and something in his mind _connected_.

Rather than the blast of freezing wind, a mass of ice spewed from the base of the sword. The flow connected and coalesced into the face of a dragon, that roared as it sped forward and crashed into Lee and the Red Captain.

Blinded by the chilling fog, Toshiro limped forward hoping to find a captured enemy and a living comrade.

"Hitsugaya-san!"

Lee's cheerful voice was at odds with his pose. He was wrapped in a cocoon of glacial ice, from his toes to his neck. The Red Captain was breathing but unconscious similarly held upright by the ice.

"A brilliant move my young friend!"

Toshiro outright laughed, "Thank you Rock-san."

Looking back to the rest of the field, he saw that the battle had shifted past them. A wonder no one had interfered in the fight. Looking towards the west wall he could only hope Uzumaki had been able to open the way for Komamura.

The shockwave of the wall collapsing then threw him onto his behind.

"You seem exhausted Hitsugaya-san, perhaps you should rest here until the medics arrive."

Watching the dust and rubble crash into the battlefield, Toshiro propped himself against the ice monument.

"You might be right Rock-san."

Breathing deeply, Toshiro reflected on the fight he'd just survived. He wasn't good enough. If he wanted to survive this war, he'd have to get faster, stronger.

Hyorinmaru was resealed, though the image of that crystalline dragon wouldn't leave Toshiro anytime soon.

"Say Rock-san, would you be open to sharing some training tips?"

The young Shinigami felt a chill run up his back, completely unrelated to the freezing backrest.

/


End file.
